


Lightning in the winter

by CaptainLokii



Series: Love always comes with a price [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Leonard Snart is a Softie, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Protectiveness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 20:53:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 34,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11768175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainLokii/pseuds/CaptainLokii
Summary: Barry Allen takes his promises very seriously so when Leonard Snart breaks one things take an unexpected turn. Can this unusual relationship survive heartbreak and grief? Or will it turn as cold as ice.....





	Lightning in the winter

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the 2nd part of the series sorry it took so long to complete i've been extremely busy! 
> 
> I hope you like it!

The alert on Cisco's computer sounded alerting them to an ongoing crime taking place somewhere in the city. 

“Reports of a break in and arson at an art gallery down town. Sounds like Snart and Rory's work” Cisco said through his ear piece as he was on his way out the door. 

“On it. Any idea what he's after?” 

“There isn't any listing for any exhibit from anyone of note. Not of the calibre Snart usually steals from at least.” 

Barry was perplexed. Why would Snart break into somewhere that had nothing worth stealing? It was both a waste of his time and an unnecessary risk he would normally avoid. 

When he gets to the scene sure enough as reported the entire front of the building is ablaze and people are fleeing the scene screaming. He speeds through the building making sure all of the civilians are a safe distance from the fire which he then extinguised before heading back in to face Snart and Rory. 

Finding them turned out to be less of a task than he imagined. They were both sat comfortably in the basement, Snart spread out across a leather sofa and Rory in an arm chair with his feet on a crate. It was as if they had been waiting for him to arrive. 

“Hello Flash” Snart drawled “Getting a little slow aren't we” 

“The hell is this about Snart?” 

“Can't blame a guy for wanting to have a little fun”. Rory snickered and raised his heat gun pointing it at a stack of crates, sending it up in flames.

Barry grabbed Snart and shoved him against the wall “What are you doing here Snart? There is nothing for you to steal” Snart smirked at him seemingly not at all fazed by the speedsters aggression.

“I need a favour”   
“The hell do you need a favour from me for?” he demanded. 

“We've got a small problem on our hands that could become a big problem if not nipped in the bud soon.” 

“Why should I help you? You bring nothing but trouble to this City” 

Rory stopped fiddling with his gun for a second to answer “Because if you don't there won't be any of your precious city left” 

Barry let go of Snart “What the hell have you done?” 

Snart readjusted his coat and looked Barry in the eye “One of our rogues in training has gone well, rogue. Second one in as many months. First one turned up dead with a hole through his chest in a field a week later he was just a kid. We need your help to find her before she meets the same fate. Some of our more experienced rogues are after blood and if we don't stop this they will burn this city down” 

Barry was slightly bemused at the request. He honestly never thought Snart had it in him to care about what happened to another person that wasn't his sister let alone for the entire city. 

“If you needed our help you didn't need to get our attention by torching the place” 

“My friend Mick here got a little impatient waiting for you to arrive” he explained whilst Mick grinned maniacally behind them. 

“And you couldn't've just turned up outside the lab and asked like a normal human? You know where we are based!” Barry was infuriated by this ridiculously annoying cocky bastard.

“Oh don't be such a spoil sport Flash. Now, too business. Are you going to help us or not?” 

Barry sighed. On one hand these were the bad guys who he should probably be arresting right now and dropping off at Iron Heights but on the other, a kid had been killed and another was missing. Could he really refuse his assistance and risk their death? 

“Fine, Snart. I will help you get your friend back but you have to promise me something in return” 

“Name your price Flash” 

“Stop hurting innocent people in your robberies. If you want my help I need that promise.” he said sternly “From the both of you” 

Snart contemplated the offer for a moment and Mick huffed in the corner “Your on, Flash.” and shook his hand to seal the deal. 

“Now tell me what's lead to their disappearance” 

Snart gestured towards the sofa and they both took their seats. He pulled out a file of information he and his rogues had already gathered which didn't lead to much other than there was a new Meta in town picking off other Meta's from different gangs and underground groups one by one. The latest being his newest protege a young girl called Beth with a long juvie record for theft. Since the reactors explosion she had gained the ability to let off an electromagnetic field that would burn out any nearby appliances making getting through security systems extremely easy. 

In recent weeks she had been showing up less and less at the den and was becoming increasingly secretive about her whereabouts until Johnny, a fellow meta with the ability to camouflage himself against any backdrop went missing. After that she stopped coming all together and her phone they placed a tracker on went offline. Day's later Johnny was found dead. 

The difference between Johnny and the others disappearance and Beth's was that they all were found dead within in days of the next person going missing. Always found in a public place with a large circular hole going straight through them. No trace of Beth had been found, dead or alive. 

Barry tries to think of any Meta's they had encountered previously who could possibly have this MO but came up empty. “Do you have any other information on who is doing all this?” 

Snart shook his head “No one has ever managed to see his face. He's a teleporter of some kind from what we've gathered.” 

Barry tried to think harder. The only Meta's they had on record that had any teleportation abilities were Peek A Boo and Cisco and only Cisco was alive so it had to be someone new. “What could they want with Beth? There has been no crimes in the area fitting her abilities” 

Mick stood up impatiently “Look” he snapped “Are you going to find her and save your precious City or can I get back to torching the place in peace?” Snart held up his hand and Mick begrudgingly stalked away to watch the small fire still burning in the corner. 

“I can see what the guy's can dig up back at the lab” he said reaching for the radios button but Snart grabbed his hand and pulled it away “I'd rather you kept this between us. Can't ruin my reputation by having people find out I'm working with the flash now can I?”

“Fine Snart but if anything which you've said turns out to be a lie I'm calling it in. Now seeing as I have a job to do I need to go. Meet me tomorrow in the Ol' Folly's abandoned warehouse on 42nd street at midnight and we can discuss any progress.” They shared a civil nod goodbye and Barry ran out the building radioing in to Cisco that it was a false alarm and made an excuse that he needed to blow off some steam and go for a run. 

He ran around searching in every possible place he could think of for the girl to be hiding or held prisoner in but came up empty. Where could this guy have taken her and what could he possibly want with her? He continued his search long into the night but each check was futile. 

~~

The next night he arrived at the warehouse a little later than planned after having to deal with a Meta child that could control ants letting thousands lose in a school for revenge on his bullies. 

Snart was sat up on a pile of wood looking down on him. Still wearing his stupid coat and goggles with his cold gun secured firmly to his hip. 

“Hello Flash” 

“Snart” he nodded curtly 

“Any news?” Barry could detect a hint of hope in his voice. 

“Nothing yet. I don't really have a lot to go on here. I've searched the city from top to bottom and found nothing” Any sign of hope was gone from Snart's eye's and instead were filled with annoyance. 

“Find her Flash.” he demanded 

“I'm trying Snart! It's not like I have a lot to go on here. If I can't use the help of my team to help me then my speed alone isn't much use. It's not like you are being much help either. Where's Rory anyway? Can't be bothered helping to find her? To busy setting fires?” He didn't mean to be so antagonistic but If they weren't going to help what use was he alone? 

Snart jumped off the woodpile and got up in his face puffing his chest out threateningly “We gave you all we know Flash. If you aren't going to be of any use to me then you might as well go but it won't be long until you see me and my rogues again” he warned. 

“Unlike you Cold, I help people for a living. I'm not going to turn my back on someone in need.” Snart still looked angry but backed down stepping back to lean against the wood again with his arms crossed. 

They agree to meet each other again same time and place tomorrow and Barry leaves. 

~~

The next time they meet Barry is there before Snart having arrived as soon as he got word of unusual electromagnetic activity going on in the quarry. By the time he got there the place was empty like it hadn't been disturbed in years. Cisco put it down to something the military were testing but it niggled at the back of his mind for the rest of the day before he realised the connection. 

He didn't even think to change back into his Flash costume until Snart was already there. It's not like Snart didn't know who he was already and he wouldn't risk exposing their associations by revealing that to anyone else. 

Snart smirked at him as he approached giving him a once over look “Well, Well If it isn't CCPD's finest little CSI. Barry Allen to what do I owe the pleasure” 

Barry rolled his eyes “Shut up Snart. I have some news” Snart's attention quickly became focused on the mission at hand. 

“I think she was at the quarry today. There were large electromagnetic spikes in the vicinity for a few minutes and by the time I got there all traces of anyone being there were gone” he explained “There was no way of getting out of there without me seeing them or creating that much electromagnetic energy in such a short space of time without a generator that could wipe out half the city” he explained 

“The quarry?” he asked. 

“Yeah I figured from what's in the notes you gave me she must be training for something. The readings we registered after the fact were much higher than anything that had been recorded before. Is there anything you can think of she might be planning?” he asked   
Snart thought for a moment but came up blank “The man that has her must need her for something. She got the revenge she sought a long time ago” 

“Are you sure there is nothing else you have to go on that can help us find her? Before something bad happens...” 

“There's nothing that I know. I barely know the kid” he sighed. 

Barry looked the older man in the eye. He looked stressed and a little sad not the usual cocky, self assured man that was an endless fountain of bad cold puns. 

“What is she to you Snart? Why does this one have such an affect on you?” 

Snart stood up straight and put on a cold stoic expression. “It has nothing to do with you Allen” 

“It has everything to do with me if you want me to help save her” he insisted. 

“She's just a kid Flash. Not some bastards pet meta” he said through gritted teeth. 

“And you aren't using her for her powers either? Drop the act Snart If you were really so worried about this Meta killing teleporter then you would have found me after the first one. What's different about Beth?” 

Snart was now visibly grinding his teeth together hand on the cold gun “I don't owe you my life story Flash. You are meant to be the hero so go be one” 

“Not without answers. Is she your daughter or something? Or Lisa's?” Snart scoffed 

“Don't be ridiculous Allen” 

“Then what is it?”

Snart snapped “A kid with a dark past that needed a home. She was on the streets Allen. Hadn't been to school in years after running from her abusive father. Lisa found her cowering behind a dumpster after a raid. You know our backstory Allen and you know why we couldn't leave her there.” 

Huh, Barry thought to himself, Captain Cold has a heart. “So you took her off the street...why didn't you just tell me? Too afraid of dropping your tough guy persona? It doesn't fool me Snart”

Snart got up in his face again staring him down. “Because she had a home, a family. Maybe not the most conventional one but it was safer than the streets or with her shit stain father. Lisa got her back into school and she was doing good. So what she helped out on a few jobs now and again? Lisa entrusted me and Mick to look after her whilst she was away now this has happened. Do you really fucking want to answer to her when she finds out that something has happened to Beth?” 

Okay so now he understood why Snart was so het up about getting her back as quickly and safely as possible. An angry Lisa Snart was enough to put the fear of god into even the most staunch of atheist's.

“Okay I get it. You could've just said that to begin with instead of going about it the long way. Now have you checked on her dads whereabouts? Any chance he could be involved in her disappearance?” he asked  
“No, dead” he said bluntly. 

“....Okay....” he thought maybe it was best not to press further on that subject “Any family what so ever? No one she got close to whilst on the streets?” 

“No family and she never mentioned getting close to anyone on the street just about the old men who would creep on her”

“Did any of the old creeps have names?” he asked

“No actual names just street names. A woman called Hopper, someone called Chains, a drunk that followed her a while rambling in Spanish and calling himself inferno, a Flint and that's all I can remember. They were just random drunks, crack heads and whores. No one with the capability of doing this.” 

Barry leant back against the wall and racked through his brain for every bit of information he had so far. If she was finally getting a good life with the rogues she wouldn't have left them willingly but how would anyone outside their group know who she is and what she can do?

“Is there anyone in the rogues who could have betrayed her to the man that has her?” he asked and feared for anyone who had to face the consequences of doing so. 

“Believe me if that were the case they would be dead already. This is something else” 

So they were still no further in finding her when they parted ways that night with the agreement to meet again tomorrow unless anything cropped up sooner. 

~~  
They met up nightly each under a different pretence to their friends as to what they were doing. Barry had convinced everyone that he was patrolling the city trying to deter any criminals up to no good.

After a two weeks of meeting without any concrete evidence to her whereabouts they met up again to map out all the possible sightings of the teleporting Meta and any strange electromagnetic readings they had picked up to see if there was any noticeable pattern. 

They had spread a map out on a makeshift table and were standing over it looking over there markings. They had so far been unable to figure out any discernible pattern in where the sightings were. 

“He has been seen randomly appearing in so many completely different places. Could this be a ploy to throw us off his trail?” he theorized. 

“He must know that we can track Beth to so what would be the point” 

Barry sat down on a crate and wrapped his arms round himself, shivering against the cold night air. 

Snart drummed his fingers against the table thinking. Barry could tell he was getting more and more stressed out as the date of Lisa's return loomed closer. He didn't want to face disappointing his little sister. 

“We are going to find her, I promise” he said  
Snart stopped drumming and looked him in the eye which sent a shiver down his spine that wasn't just from the cold. “Don't make promises you can't keep Allen” 

Barry supposed he was right. He had no guarantee that they would get this Beth back in one piece let alone at all. He shivered again damning his metabolism for not letting him keep warm. 

“It's barely cold Allen” Snart said with a glimmer of humour in his eye. 

“Blame the speed force. Its their fault I can't hold any body heat” his teeth were starting to chatter together. Without a blink Snart pulled off his coat and draped it over Barry's shoulders who gratefully pulled it around himself letting the soft fur hood fall over his face. 

“How much of it is the speed force and how much is the fact you are a twig who forgot to bring a coat when he knew he was going to be sitting in a empty warehouse at night in the dead of winter?” he asked. Definitely humour this time. “Can't have the Flash catching a cold now can we Barry?”

Barry stopped shivering for a second and looked up at the older man “You've never called me Barry before...” 

Snart shrugged “Didn't see the point in being so formal after we've been meeting here for so long” he said “Call me Len if you like”. 

It felt oddly nice to hear Len say his name in a non mocking tone. He shivered again as another cold wind hit him. Len rolled his eyes and clambered on to the crate beside him blocking as much of the wind as he could. Barry could feel the heat radiating off him. “Jesus Sna...Len.. You're like a human furnace” 

Len smiled the first genuine smile he'd seen on him “Lets just say its my own super power” he joked nudging him with his shoulder. They sat like that in silence for a while enjoying the closeness of the other next to them. 

When had he started enjoying being in the company of Captain Cold? When had he stopped thinking of him as Cold: the moral-less crook and more as Len: the smart and caring human being? And why was he suddenly so nervous to be sitting so close to him?

He shivered again, this time not from the cold wind. Oh, he thought, so that's why. He tried to sneak a glance at Len to gage what he was thinking but when he turned his head Len was already looking at him curiously. When neither of them looked away Len seemed to be having an internal debate over what to do next. Barry shivered again and that seemed to make up Lens mind. 

He leant in and kissed Barry forcefully and he just opened his mouth and kissed back with his hand going straight for Len's short curls. Len's hand snuck its way under Barry's shirt and snaked its way up his chest till it stopped on his nipple. He started to massage small circles across the nub that made him moan into the older man's mouth arching into his touch. 

He could feel all the blood straight from his head to his dick which was now bulging against his now too tight jeans. He pulled away from Len's kiss and looked him in the eye. 

“What are we doing?” he gasped as Len tweaked at his nipple again sending sparks across his body.

He leaned in so their lips were almost touching “Keeping you warm” he answered and kissed him again. Barry pulled back with a little more force and Len instantly stopped what he was doing.   
“I can't do this” He said pulling his shirt down to try and hide his erection. Len looked at him curiously “Why, Flash? You seem to be enjoying it” 

“I..I..Am” he stuttered 

“Then why can't yo do this?” Len asked. Barry looked him in the eye trying to find some ulterior motive in his actions but was just met with curiosity and arousal. 

“I've....never....done....this” he said gesturing between them “before...” 

“Done what before? Been with a man? Had a one night stand?” 

Barry flushed redder than his suit “Anyone....” 

Len sat further back giving him some space “oh” 

“I've just never...” he tried to explain but Len stopped him 

“You don't need to explain yourself to me Kid. I won't judge you on wanting to wait lord knows if I could go back and re do my first time I would” he said giving Barry a playful nudge. 

“I just want it to be special. It's childish I know that but I don't want to give anything to someone who doesn't love me” he whispered blushing even harder. Why was he telling all this to Len? 

“Why Mr Allen I never took you for such a romantic” he teased 

“Shut up” Barry said looking embarrassedly down at the floor. 

“Hey now kid. Don't be ashamed of wanting to wait for someone special. When the time is right the time is right. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable tonight. When I get stressed my judgement can be rather poor” he smiled at him apologetically. 

“Don't get me wrong I enjoyed this...a lot actually...but I need more of a connection than just a hot guy who hated me only a few weeks ago” he explained. 

Len stood up and went back to looking at the maps “Good for you kid. Now I think its time we got back to work” 

Barry pulled Len's coat further around himself hoping the shadow would hide the tent in his jeans that covered his still throbbing erection.

They spent a few more hours discussing possible patterns on the map that always came up empty. After several awkward moments of brushing hands and being in each others space they parted ways with an intent to meet again tomorrow. 

~~  
Barry thought things might be awkward the next time they met up but thankfully things didn't turn out that way as the next morning Team Flash were alerted to something going on at the hospital. 

A large electromagnetic blast had blown out the hospitals power and damaged the backup power source meaning hospital staff were working in the dark to keep those on life support alive until help arrived.   
Barry had gotten there within seconds whilst Wally helped Caitlin gather medical supplies so she could offer aid until Cisco got the power back online. 

Barry found her suspended in the air by an energy field. She seemed like she was in a trance like state. 

“Beth” he yelled “Beth, you have to stop this people could die” She didn't reply. 

“Beth please. Leonard Snart asked me to find you” the field shrunk “I read your file. I know you aren't a bad kid. You've turned off all the life support and if you don't let us fix this people are going to die. You aren't a murderer who ever is making you do this we can protect you from them” The field continued to shrink till she hit the floor with a thud. 

He checked her pulse and sighed, she was alive. He opened the comms “It's over Cisco you can turn on the power now”. Only static came from the other end “Cisco you hearing me?” Static again but soon the power came back on and he could hear an audible sigh of relief from the wards as life support machines came back online. 

The girl began to stir so he picked her up “Come on. Lets get you out of here before the police get here”

He takes her to the warehouse that he and Snart used as a base for their investigation and helps her sit against the crate pile they made. “Beth do you know Len's cell number?” he asked. They hadn't thought ahead of time of another method of contact besides meeting in a secluded warehouse in the middle of the night. Suddenly Barry was learning the flaw in that pan. 

“Why would I give the Flash his number?” in the most stereotypical teenage brat voice he had ever heard. 

“Because he asked me to find you. Now I either need his number or you are gonna have to wait here for over 12 hours before he shows up. Which option do you prefer?” He didn't have time to deal with a brat today. He had to hand her over and get back before Cisco and Caitlin noticed he was missing. Beth snorted and tapped the number into his phone. 

It took a few rings before anyone answered “Who is this?” Len asked from the other end “How did you get this number?” 

“Len I've got her” there was a pause

“Is she okay?” he sounded genuinely concerned about her welfare. 

“She's unharmed. We are at the warehouse” He could hear Len running to his bike and the engine start “Be there in five” and hung up. 

Barry turned back to the girl “So you going to tell me what happened?” 

The girl rolled her eyes “Piss off Flash. I ain't tellin you nothin” It took all his energy to bite his tongue. 

“We need to know what you were doing at the hospital. People could have died after what you did. For all intents and purposes you should be down at the station looking at forty years in Iron Heights”   
The girl continued to ignore him until Len got there. When he walked in she perked up instantly as he embraced her. 

“Beth, Kid what were you doing?” he asked her 

“Screw that what you doin workin with the Flash?” she demanded arms crossed. 

“Saving you from a murderer now watch your mouth” he warned her 

“You ain't my father” 

“Damn right I'm not your father. Doesn't mean you get to cheek the man who saved you.” Beth tutted and looked away. “Now what were you doing there?” 

Beth sucked on her teeth making a squeaking noise before answering “Helpin an old friend settle a score” 

Len glared at her “What old friend? The one that murdered one of our own? What score did he have to settle that involved the hospital?” 

“Nothin to do with you Cold” she snapped. Earning a raised eyebrow and piercing stare off Len. 

“It is if you don't want Lisa to find out, Beth-anne.” She swung her head angrily to look him in the eye. 

“Don't call me that, ass hole” 

“Then don't act like a spoiled brat” Barry suddenly got the idea this wasn't the first time he's had to look after a teenager. 

“Ugh fine” she snapped “He just wanted some information on someone. Needed a little help getting it. Said other's just weren't doing the job” 

“Yeah because he was killing them!” Len yelled at her “Who is he? And who did he want information on?” 

“Collateral damage happens and if you MUST know it was Inferno. I owed him a favour still with no questions asked.” 

Barry could practically see the steam coming out of Len's ears as he tried to control his anger. “We do not kill people. Collateral damage is just another name for murder.” he tried to keep his breathing steady “What on earth has gotten into you Beth? You're a good kid with a future don't throw it away on some drunk nut job. For crying out loud do you want to rot in Iron Heights? I won't break your ass out if that's where you are heading.” 

“Oh like you can talk Cold. You've killed more than most. Only difference between you and me is it doesn't keep me up at night” she screeched. 

Len's face went pale as pale could be “Leave” he said teeth clenched together 

“What?” she said shocked. 

“Get out. Leave. I don't care where just leave. I don't want to see your face in this city ever again. We gave you a chance for a new life but seeing as you are more interested in ruining it then your time here is done.” Barry looked at the older man. For someone who loved the cold so much his eyes were filled with fire right now. 

Beth scoffed and walked to the door she stopped and looked over her shoulder “Be careful of the company ya keep Cold. See what its turned ya into? Pussy” and stormed out letting the door swing loudly shut behind her. 

Barry looked up at Len who's teeth were still clenched and his fists balled at his side. He debated with himself about whether to go after the girl and arrest her or stay here with Len. He could see sadness and anger in his eyes so he reached out to put a hand on his arm. “Are you okay Len?” It still felt odd calling him that but in recent weeks even after the awkward end to the night before he'd found himself enjoying being in his company. The cold stoic man who robbed banks and art galleries just to appreciate the art or buy things for his sister turned out to be an interesting person with a good heart and an intelligent mind. 

“Get out, Flash” he didn't even look at him. 

“Dude your adoptive niece or whatever just got kidnapped and then found and then you kick her out? What the hell is your sister going to say when she gets back?” Faster than even he can blink Len swings round and grabs his wrist squeezing so tight it hurt “Dude what the hell?” he asked trying to pull his hand free. 

“She isn't coming back, Flash. She's d...dead” he stuttered after the last word. Barry stopped struggling.

“What? Since when? You said she would be back this week?” 

“Mick went to meet her in Starling City. She'd been on a job for a few months hadn't heard much from her. She got into some bad shit. Drugs and booze and the like. He found her overdosed in her apartment this morning” He was visibly fighting the tears threatening to break free. He let go of his hand finally “My baby sister” Barry's heart sank. 

“Oh man I'm so sorry for your loss. Is there anything I can do?” He didn't want to leave him alone like this. No one should ever be alone in their grief he learned that the hard way as a child. He couldn't even begin to imagine how much it must hurt to lose a sibling that he practically raised on his own. 

“Just leave me Barry” he mumbled 

“But..” he started to reply

“GO” Len screamed the fire back in his eyes gave him a terrifying appearance. 

He left him standing alone in the warehouse. He could've sworn before he got out of earshot he heard a faint cry behind him. He wanted to turn back and go comfort him but he knew he wasn't welcome and that pushing Len to hard would just drive him away more. 

He switched his comms back on and was instantly met with Cisco yelling in his ear. “Yo Barry. Where the hell you been? Joe is having kittens back here. Get back to the lab now” He looked at the screen on his self phone and saw how much time had passed since he left the hospital “shit” he thought before taking off for the lab at full speed. 

When he got into the cortex Joe was pacing the floor constantly looking at his watch. He stopped and turned to him when he noticed his arrival. “Barry where the hell did you go? One second you were at the hospital the next you've gone AWOL and turned your comms off completely? What were you doing?” he demanded 

“I had to chase down another Meta?” he offered. It's not like he could reveal that he let Beth get away or that Len was involved. 

“Where is he?” Caitlin asked. Barry shrugged at her 

“Got away before I got there” It was a weak excuse and he knew it and he knew they didn't buy it but they let it drop. 

“I did manage to get some information though whilst I was chasing him down. The attack at the hospital was orchestrated by a man called Inferno who was apparently looking for a file on someone and needed a distraction to get it” he explained 

“The purple man” Caitlin said and Barry looked at her quizzically “The staff at the hospital, They said they saw a man in purple smoke searching for something but he vanished before they could get a proper look at him.” 

Huh. He thought to himself. So Inferno was more than just a homeless drunk but was a Meta too. 

“Do we have a record of anyone who fits that description” he asked looking at Cisco who was still looking frazzled in his Vibe suit

“That's a negative” he said not looking up from his screen. 

“Right so we should contact CCPD and tell them to be on the look out for a ...purple smoke man... and see where it goes from there?” he suggested feeling kind of lost as to what to do next. They didn't have anything to go on to hunt this Meta down nor did they have any clue as to what file he was after. 

They cleaned up and wrote out their reports for that day and one by one filed out back home. Barry felt almost sad that he wasn't going to be meeting Len at the warehouse that night and he wondered how he was feeling right now or even where he was.

~~

Didn't take long to figure out where Len was as first thing that morning Barry was called in to the lab because of fires that had started all around the city. It didn't take anyone much to figure out who was the source of the flames. 

Barry could feel the anger bubbling inside him as he ran around the city collecting Rogues on his way and dropping them off at CCPD whilst also putting out fires that Rory had set. Snart was clearly on a path to destroy as much as he could without a care as to what he could steal or who got hurt. Cisco had set off in one direction with Caitlin and Joe to tackle some of the non Meta Rogues whilst he and Wally went after putting out the fires and freeing those trapped by ice left by Cold and Heatwave. 

By the time the last fire was out and all the injured where safely at the hospital Snart and Rory were long gone. His suit was burned from coming into too close contact with some of the flames and he had slight burns on the left side of his face that were thankfully healing quickly. 

By the time they all grouped back up at the van he was drained and seriously in need of some calories. He was certainly not looking forward to the paperwork he was going to have to fill out when he got into CCPD for his shift later. 

He couldn't help but take his frustrations out on the poor vans tire as he kicked it repeatedly complaining about what a lying bastard Leonard Snart was for breaking his promise not to let people get hurt. 

When they got back to the lab he quickly got changed, dumping his suit on Cisco's desk for him to repair. Grabbed a couple of nutrition bars and slumped off to work in a huff. Today was not a good day and Snart was going to pay for it, grief or no grief. 

~~  
After what felt like a life time of paperwork he had to fill out and deliver to all the correct pigeon holes he was finally free to go and tear Snart a new one. 

The problem was he had no fucking clue where he would be. Where would a master criminal on the run from everyone and everything go to? He racked his brain trying to think of something. He could run everywhere within a five minute radius of the warehouse but that wasn't a guarantee as he might not have been at home when he came to get Beth. 

Barry snapped his fingers as the brainwave hit him Beth! She had used his phone to call him that night and it would still be programmed into his phone. He scrolled through the dialled numbers list and landed on the one number he didn't recognise and pressed dial. It rang and rang before going to answer phone. 

“Snart, we need to talk pick up the phone” he said ending the call and re-dialling. This time it rang twice then ended. Bastard must've hit end call.

“Fine if you are gonna play it that way be my guessed” he opened the tracking app Cisco had designed for his suit on his phone and entered the number. He watched as the cross on the screen moved around the map before stopping just on the outskirts of town. 

Barry knew the area. It was nice, your typical white picket fence kinda place filled with what looked like cloned nuclear families and their pedigree dogs. What on earth was a mixed race, queer, criminal doing there? 

He clipped the phone back into his suit and set off arriving at the destination in seconds. It was a nice house made of red brick with a clearly well loved garden and a small fish pond. If it wasn't for Snart's bike sitting visibly in the drive way he would never have believed he was here for anything other than theft.

He rang the door bell and waited for a reply. He could hear someone shuffling towards the door and looking through the peep hole.

“Clear out of here, Flash” he growled through the door. Barry hammered on the door again. 

“You know I don't have to wait for you to open up if I don't want to. Now quit being an ass and open up before your neighbours get suspicious as to why The Flash is hammering at your door in the middle of the afternoon.” he yelled. Silence from the other side. 

“Fine I'm coming in” he shouted and started to faze through the door. As he got his arm through the door swung open and Barry stumbled forward almost getting his arm stuck in the process. 

“What ever you have to say Flash I don't want to hear it” Snart looked terrible. His skin was grey and covered in salt and pepper stubble where he clearly hadn't shaved in a few days and his eyes were bloodshot from what Barry could only assume was crying. His t-shirt and track suit bottoms were wrinkled and stained and he stank of whiskey, he was a complete mess. 

“We had a deal Snart. You made a promise not to let anyone else get hurt if I found Beth for you” Barry could feel the anger within him diminishing the more he looked at the older man. 

“Promises are for children” he yawned and started walking back into the living room and poured himself another drink. Barry shut the door and followed. 

The house looked old like it hadn't been decorated in over fifty years. There were ornaments and trinkets on every available surface and a large grandfather clock stood in the hall by the stairs. The sofa's were made of a garish floral fabric that offended even Barry's eyes. 

“Who's house is this?” Barry asked curiously as he looked around. 

“It belonged to my Grandmother if you must know” he said looking round at the décor whilst sipping his drink. “I inherited it after she died” 

Barry looked at a photo over the fireplace it was of an elderly black lady with perfectly styled white hair hugging what must have been a young Len and baby Lisa. He had never taken Len for being the sentimental type who would hold on to something like this. 

Len's eyes follow his “She wasn't Lisa's grandmother if that's what you're asking. We were only half siblings” he explains. Barry shakes his head. 

“No, I was just thinking that I never took you for the sentimental type. No offence to you but that photo was taken a long time ago and she looked quite elderly there. I never imagined you would hold on to something like this for so long especially without updating it” 

Len raises his eyebrow and Barry isn't sure if its because he kind of called him old or because he's surprised he came to that thought just from a photo. “She was the only decent parental figure me and Lisa ever had. After our father was caught again we were sent to live with her and Lisa was just a few weeks old. She took her in and raised us as her own. It was the only stable part of our lives we ever had.” He smiles fondly at the photo for a few moments then remembers Barry is there and his expression becomes stern again. “What do you want anyway Allen?” 

Barry sighs, he can't be mad any more at a man who is clearly grieving “I want to help you”

“Help? Help with what? There isn't anything to help now. The last thing worth the help in my life is gone.” he snaps 

Barry moves closer and sits on the edge of the sofa at the opposite end to Len not wanting to push things. “You are worth the help Len. I know underneath all the bravado you put up there is a good person in there. A good person who is grieving for his little sister. Do you think Lisa would want you wallowing here? The Lisa I met was a force of nature who wouldn't sit around drinking her sorrows and you know it” 

“What do you want me to do Flash? Forget she existed?” he hissed.

“No. Do something with your life that would make her proud. Stop lashing out at the world around you instead of dealing with your problems” he explained. 

Snart scoffed at the idea and went back to sipping his drink. They sat there in silence for what felt like eternity. It was so quiet Barry felt he could almost hear both their heartbeats over the sound of the clock in the hall ticking. They both jumped with a start as the clock chimed the hour. 

“Why are you still here Flash?” Snart asked. 

“Because I care about you” he replied sincerely.

“Why would you care about me Flash. You are this city's beloved hero who saves the world from criminals like me” 

“Honestly? I don't know why or when I started caring about you but I do and I know you care about me to so don't pretend you don't” It felt good to Barry to admit that he felt more than friendship with this man. 

“You think you're so good at reading people don't you Flash...” Barry rolled his eyes. No matter how much he tried he wasn't going to leave Len alone to drink himself to death. If he believed in such things he'd be certain Lisa would come back to haunt him for all eternity if he did. 

If Len was going to be stubborn about it then he wasn't going to show he was no match for Barry Allen. He sat back on the couch making himself comfortable and flipped on the TV. Len looked at him shocked. 

“The hell do you think you're doing?” he demanded 

“Watching TV” 

“In my house? Without my permission?” 

Barry rolled his eyes “Well if you aren't going to talk to me I have to do something with my time”.

Len put his drink down and reached for the remote which Barry held out of his reach. 

“This isn't a game Barry” he said trying to climb across him to reach the remote. He almost had his hands on it when Barry fazed through the arm of the sofa and ran to the other side of the room. 

Len narrowed his eyes at him and jumped up running at him like a bull which Barry cleanly dodged. He ran round the house with Len on his tail and dodged him every time he got close. Eventually they were both laughing after Len attempted to jump the coffee table and ended up taking out Barry in the process. They lay there in a puddle of laughter whilst (Len) tried to catch his breath. 

“That was not funny” he panted poking him in the shoulder. 

Barry grinned “Oh yeah so why are you laughing then?” 

“Shut up” he argued and they both cracked up again. Neither could manage to stand up from laughing every time they tried the other would fall down again like dominoes. 

Eventually their laughing calmed to a gentle titter. Barry looked at Lens face closer than he ever got the chance to before. He had beautifully tanned skin with a dusting of freckles that he personally thought was adorable. His eyes were a perfect cool grey that fitted his alias perfectly whilst his cheek had a slight scar on one side which he assumed must've been from a fight long ago. In all his life he didn't think he'd seen anyone more beautiful. He reached up to stroke along the scar and was relieved when Len didn't flinch away. Instead they locked eyes and just looked at each other. Len's eyes were full of sorrow and hurt but with a faint spark of what Barry thought was hope. 

“I do care about you Leonard Snart. Maybe more than I should for someone who has tried to kill me before” he whispered. Len's beautiful grey eye's bored into his soul trying to search for any hint of a lie and found none. 

“I care about you too Barry” he stumbled over his words like it was the first time he'd ever said that to anyone. 

Barry could feel his heart leap out of his chest as he nervously went in to kiss Len. Their lips met and they were softer and warmer than the first time. This time felt entirely different and so special Barry thought he might burst. It was intimate and sweet without any heat to it. Just comfort and kindness and maybe the start of love. 

When they broke the kiss the atmosphere around them just felt different, more peaceful. 

“Maybe we should get off the floor?” Len suggested struggling to get to his feet. If it hadn't been such a sweet moment Barry wouldn't have been able to resist a joke about old bones. Len held out his hand to help Barry to his feet and their hands lingered together longer than necessary. 

When they were on their feet again Len caressed Barry's jaw and leaned in to kiss him with much more passion than the one they shared moments ago. This kiss was full of fire and anger and rage that Len had kept pent up within over the last few days. Len's other hand snakes around Barry's waist and pulls him forward so they are pressed together with only the fabric from their clothes separating them. Barry moaned as his erection pressed against Len's thigh and his cheeks burned red from embarrassment. Len broke the kiss and smirked as he pushed his thigh further between Barry's legs who moaned louder. 

Barry's cheeks burned redder when he could feel his orgasm building after barely being touched. He whimpered as he tried to hold it off for a bit longer. At the sound of his whimper Len pulled away and looked him in the eyes. 

“Do you want this Barry?” he asked “We can stop if you aren't ready just yet” Barry's mind was a blur of pleasure and he couldn't focus on much more than wondering what it felt like to have Len's lips around his cock. 

“I told you I wanted it to be with someone special. Someone I cared about.” he moaned as he continued to rub himself against the older man's thigh.

“If you want to stop just say so. We go no further than you are comfortable with, okay?”

“Yes..yes.. You're a gentleman I get it but right now I really need you to touch me” Barry said. 

Len loved how flushed Barry looked when he was aroused. It complimented his eyes perfectly and he could look at him like this for eternity if he didn't think Barry would pounce on him if he didn't do something soon. 

“Then maybe we should take this upstairs” 

~~ 

After an eventful night Barry was spread out across Len's chest completely blissed out whilst Len ran his fingers through the younger man's hair. 

They had taken things slowly with Len making sure he was relaxed and comfortable at all times and didn't try to push him to far too soon. Barry felt safe and happy as Len held him close as they rocked together in a slow rhythm. 

Eventually they fell sound asleep curled up together with a faint smile on their lips. 

~~

Barry was woken up to the blazing morning sun by his phone ringing loudly on the dresser beside him. He rubbed the sleep dust from his eyes and picked it up. 

“Hello?” 

“Bar, where are you? We were meant to be training this morning but you aren't in your room. Did you start without me?” Wally asked. Shit, Barry thought to himself. He had completely forgotten they had made plans for the morning. 

“Shit sorry Wally I was patrolling. Meet you outside the gate in two minutes”

“Psh patrolling, sure I'll believe you thousands wouldn't” he teased.

“Shut up Wally. Meet you in two”

“Love you too brother” he replied and hung up. 

Barry sped into the bathroom and had the quickest shower he's ever had and slipped his suit back on. When he was clothed again he looked at Len still asleep on the bed. He knelt beside him and gently nudged his shoulder. 

“Len...Len wake up” The older man groaned and pulled his pillow over his head “Len come on” he insisted. Eventually he turned over and mock glared at him. 

“What?” 

“I have to go. Wally needs me I'm sorry.” he said pecking him on the lips. 

“Everything okay?” he asked face contorting into a look of concern. 

“Yeah, I just forgot I promised to train with Wally this morning” he explained.   
“Oh, Okay” Len said then turned back over and went back to sleep. Barry rolled his eyes and raced out the door. He felt lighter and happier as he raced to meet Wally at the labs. 

When he got there Wally was waiting tapping his foot impatiently he smirked when he saw him. 

“Well if it isn't the dirty stop out” he teased and raced into the lab as Barry gave chase laughing. He chased him around the pipeline multiple times before Wally raced out towards the cortex with Barry in hot pursuit. 

When Barry caught up Wally was standing stock still looking in to Caitlin's lab. 

“Wally?” he asked going to see what was wrong. When he caught sight of what Wally was looking at his heart dropped. 

“CISCO!” he yelled racing towards his friend who was collapsed on the floor in a puddle of blood and glass shards. “WALLY GET CAITLIN!” he ordered and within a second Wally was gone. 

“Cisco, can you hear me? Cisco talk to me brother” he called trying to get a response but he was out for the count. Barry checked his pulse and was relieved that he was alive with a strong heartbeat. He gently lifted Cisco off the floor and carried him carefully to the med bay and laid him out on the gurney. 

Wally flashed back into the room with Caitlin in tow. 

“What happened Barry?” she asked getting to work on their friend. 

“I don't know. We just got here we were training and when we ran in here he was just laying there surrounded by blood.” Barry looked fearfully at the way Cisco's arm bent in the wrong direction. “I should've been here” he said guiltily “He could have been here all night and I should have been here with him if I hadn't gone to see....” He trailed off when he realised what he was saying. Thankfully Caitlin and Wally were too focused on Cisco to notice what he said. 

~~

Word gets round fast to Joe and Iris and soon they are all waiting patiently for updates from Caitlin. Joe had been in a state of panic the moment he arrived and was pacing frantically around the cortex till Cisco woke up and he was able to see for himself that he was okay even though Caitlin tried telling him over thirty times. 

When Cisco got the all clear to go home that evening they all split and went their separate ways after Cisco insisted he would be okay on his own. 

~~

Barry ran home changed into something other than his flash suit and ran to Len's house. His mind was racing with concern and guilt for what had happened that day. 

He hammered on the door as hard as he had the night previous and Len answered giving him a confused look. 

“Barry? What's the matter?” he asked as Barry flung his arms around him holding him tight. “Woah kid...what happened?” Barry can hear the genuine concern in his voice.  
“Cisco got hurt” he mumbled against the fabric of Len's shirt. Len rubbed his back soothingly. 

“Is he alright?” he asked as he pushed the front door shut and guided him into the living room till they reached the sofa and they sat down with Barry laying across Len's lap. 

“He's been acting weird for a few weeks now and then last night his powers backfired or something and he broke his own arm and knocked himself out” he ranted “Wally and I found him this morning in a pool of blood and glass.” He tried to fight the teardrops running down his cheek “I should've been there with him. He was laying there all night! Len he could have DIED!” 

“Shhh shhh shhh It isn't your fault Barry. Accident's happen all the time you know that. You being there or not wouldn't have changed whether it happened or didn't. Did he say why is powers went wrong? Doesn't seem like something Ramon would do.” he asked. 

“I could have done SOMETHING though Len!” he insisted “He says he can't remember why things went wrong just he was tidying something up and then wakes up to the sound of the heart monitor.” He explains. 

Len lifts Barry's head so they are looking right at each other “Barry Allen you listen to me okay? You are not to blame for an accident. Did your friend blame you at all?” he asked

“No....but!” he started

“But nothing Barry. An accident is called that for a reason.” he insisted. 

Barry sighed and curled back up against Len. “Can I stay again tonight?” he asked

Len smiled and went back to rubbing his back “Sure thing Flash. Wanna watch a movie?” he asked. 

Barry nodded and Len flicked on the TV and scrolled through the movie list till they reached Lord of The Rings and put it on. 

“Never took you for a Tolkien fan Cold” Barry teased earning him a swat on the butt. 

“hush Flash” Len faux snarled. 

~~

They spend the rest of the evening lazing around watching movies and eating lasagne that Len cooked from scratch much to Barry's surprise. Eventually when Barry starts falling asleep watching a movie Len flicks it off and carries Barry up to the bedroom laying him gently on the bed and carefully pulling his shoes off and pulling the duvet over him so he doesn't wake him. He strips to his boxers and climbs in beside him wrapping an arm around the sleeping speedster and falling asleep. 

~~

_3:47 AM_

Barry is woken up again to the sound of his phone ringing. This time when he opens his eyes he isn't blinded by the morning sun. He sits up confused at the darkness and looks at his phone. He sees Joe's name on the caller ID and quickly answers.   
“Bar you need to get in to the Lab now. Cisco's hurt himself” Barry jumps to his feet jolting Len awake in the process. 

“Hurt himself? How? What happened?” He demanded 

“I don't know Bar, he called me and I found him covered in blood. He's broken his other arm badly. The poor kid. Caitlin had to sedate him he kept breaking things with his vibe powers. Just get here now Bar something's not right with this kid” the line went dead. 

“Barry? Who was that?” Len asked 

“Joe......It's Cisco......He's hurt himself” he answered 

“Again? That kid sure is accident prone” Len teased lightly but stopped when he saw the scared look on Barry's face. “It wasn't an accident this time was it?” 

Barry shook his head “They've had to sedate him. I knew something was wrong but I didn't think it was this bad” 

Len jumped out of the bed and flicked the light on “It will be okay Barry. Go to him and talk to him and help him.” he said handing Barry his shoes off the dresser. 

Barry was out the door and halfway to star labs by the time Len managed to blink. He could still feel the faint feeling of lips on his cheek as the red blur went out the door.

~~

When he gets in Cisco is in the middle of getting a CT scan of his brain so Caitlin could see if there was any cause to his powers being out of wack lately. She doesn't find anything out of the ordinary and doesn't meet Cisco's eyes when she tells him he's got the all clear. 

When Caitlin gives the okay for him to go talk to Cisco he goes in and pulls up a chair beside him.   
“Cisco please talk to us! You're my brother. I want to help you” he says but Cisco avoids eye contact and doesn't speak. “Come on please talk to us. What changed?” still silence. Barry feels frustrated, why won't Cisco just talk to them? They can help it doesn't matter what it is. They all can tell something is eating at him but instead he just acts off around them all. “Why are you suddenly doing this? Why are you acting so weird?” He doesn't realise what he said until he's said it. He instantly regrets letting his emotions get the better of him rather than let his brain do the talking. 

He can see the hurt look in Cisco's eyes as he gets up and runs for the exit “Cisco wait! I'm sorry!” he calls after him. 

Cisco stops in his tracks at the exit “No you aren't Barry” he yells face blazing red with anger “Don't lie to me. If you want the truth so bad maybe you should stop lying to us about yours and Snart's little 'promise'” he screams then runs for the exit. 

“Cisco!” Joe snaps after him as he goes. 

Barry is left standing there dumbfounded at his friends outburst. He hadn't meant to call him weird he meant to say how he was acting different but his stupid brain said the wrong thing. Did he know about him and Snart? How could he know that they had been meeting? 

He wanted to follow him and tell him he was sorry but picturing the hurt look on his face when he left made him think that maybe that wasn't the best idea right now. Cisco probably needed some time alone anyway. 

After Cisco had left the others were staring at him. “Bar?” Joe asked “You okay?” he half nodded half shook his head in reply. 

“Barry. What did he mean by yours and Snart's promise?” Caitlin asked “He isn't making you do something is he?” Barry felt a ping in his heart because of Caitlin's endless ability to care for those around her. 

“No. It's nothing like that” he promised hoping that would end the conversation. 

“Then what is it Bar?” Joe asked. 

“I just helped him with something....and as payment he made me a promise.....that's all” he lied. He could tell neither of them were convinced. 

“What kind of promise?” they both asked suspiciously. 

“To not hurt anyone any more. No more death and no more civilian causalities” he replied. It was only half a lie right? 

Joe's eyes narrowed clearly going into detective mode. “Why would Leonard Snart make that kind of promise to anyone let alone you” he asks. 

Barry shrugs not making eye contact “We worked some things out when I was helping him with the favour he asked for” 

“Bartholomew Henry Allen I know when you are lying to me” Joe said in his best impression of an angry person. 

Barry sighed “Look Joe, I can't tell you about it right now. With everything that's going on with Cisco it isn't a good time” 

Joe's shoulders dropped in defeat “Just promise me it's not something I have to worry about you over” 

“I Promise Joe” Barry said putting his hand over his heart. 

~~ 

A week passed by and Cisco had refused to speak to him or anyone. They had tried to speak to him with light conversation or finding him when he was alone to ask him privately to talk about what was wrong. Barry had even written a long heartfelt apology letter about the other week but he had just found it scrunched up in the waste basket the next day. 

They were all at a loss as to what they could do. They wanted to help their friend but he wouldn't even listen to any of their suggestions. It had gotten so bad Caitlin was researching hospitalisation for him. 

The silence only got worse after Inferno turned up again.   
Len had tipped him off to Inferno being sighted on the other side of town with a group of former rogues who had gone off on their own when they decided Len had 'turned soft' for banning violence towards civilians. 

Cisco was tracking them back at the lab whilst he tracked them all down and dropped them off one by one at Iron Heights. He was fighting the last two rogues who were putting up more of a fight than the others when next thing he knows a hole has been blasted through his shoulder and blood is pouring out. He catches sight of Inferno standing there in his purple and black suit as he falls and everything fades to black. 

He doesn't know how long he's out when he wakes up in Joe's cruiser which is speeding towards the lab. He is driving with one hand and holding a compress over the wound with the other. It hurts like a million fire ants are crawling through his shoulder and eating flesh and bone in their path. 

When they reach the lab Caitlin is concerned as to why the wound hasn't started healing yet. Even for a wound this severe he normally would be healed in an hour or two. She runs some tests on the wound and find traces of Inferno's meta DNA that shows an ability to cause slowed healing even in a speedster. Unfortunately the sample is so small they are neither able to ID Inferno or create an antidote to the lasers effect.

“Barry this is going to hurt a lot” she says as she lays out the stitching kit on the trolley beside her. 

He can see Cisco watching him with an expressionless face from the cortex. He can barely register anything else afterwards as Caitlin starts pulling the wound back together. Eventually Joe has to hold him down as he screams in pain. 

Cisco leaves without anyone noticing. 

~~

After he was given the all clear from Caitlin to go home on the threat that If he tried any hero business and ripped her stitches she would talk all the flavouring from his high calorie energy bars. 

Lucky for her Barry really didn't feel like running anywhere after they day he's had. He sends Cisco a text asking if he was okay but he doesn't get a reply. He thinks about going round there but decides against it as Cisco was probably asleep by now. 

He decides to walk to Len's house and update him on what happened with Inferno. 

It takes almost an hour to walk from the lab to Len's place and Barry genuinely had no idea how he managed before he got his speed. He knocks on the door panting for breath leaning against the porch bannister. Len opens the door and raises an eyebrow at the sight that meets his eyes. 

“The hell happened to you?” he asks as Barry drags himself into the house. The lights are all off and Len has clearly already gone to bed when he arrived. He shrugs off his jacket and pulls the collar of his shirt down. 

“Got shot by Inferno. Bastards lasers stop me healing as fast as I normally do” he explains. Len immediately furrows his brow and goes into mother goose mode. 

“Does it hurt? Do you need something for the pain? I've got some over the counter stuff in the bathroom but if you need something heavier just say and I can call Mick. Here sit down and I will get you a drink or are you tired? Do you want to go to bed? Do you need help on the stairs? Are you hungry? I can cook you something! Or we could get take out?” he says so fast that it takes Barry a second to register everything he just said. 

“pain killers don't work on me my metabolism just uses it up in seconds. I would really really like a cold glass of water and sleep if that is okay with you?” he replies and before he's finished Len is rushing into the kitchen and he can hear the ice machine and tap going. 

He carefully makes his way up the stairs with Len cautiously following close behind. He carefully tries to pull his shirt over his head without touching the wound but hisses in pain as part of the shirt snags on a stitch pulling at it. 

“Caitlin says it will heal in a day or so but I'm not allowed to run anywhere until it does” he explains. 

“Is that why you were so out of breath?” Len asks “Body not used to long distances at normal human speed?” 

Barry laughs and winces at the twinge in his shoulder “Yeah something like that” he yawns loudly “Man I'm beat” he says

“Literally” Len teases. Barry dips his fingers in the glass of water Len is still holding and flicks it at him “HEY!” he cries dodging the water droplets. 

“Don't pick on the afflicted!” Barry laughed. Len pulls back the covers and Barry slowly lowers himself onto the bed trying not to pull or knock the wound any. Len makes a show of tucking him in and plumping his pillow before getting in the other side. 

Barry rests his head on Len's shoulder “How was your day?” he asks. 

Len frowns “Mick and I were finishing up the funeral arrangements for Lisa. It's next saturday at the crematorium” 

“Would you like me to come? Moral support and all that?” he asks gently 

“I would really appreciate that but I don't think any of Lisa's friends would take kindly to a CSI being there.” he explains 

“I can handle them if you need me there Len” he promises. Len just shakes his head 

“No I cant risk you getting hurt if things get ugly” Barry leans up and kisses his jaw sweetly. 

“Okay but the offer remains open if you change your mind.” 

“Thanks Barry” he replies. His voice is strained and Barry knows he is still struggling with his grief for his sister. 

“You know Lisa would be really proud of you right? She would just want you to be happy” he whispers. 

“I hope so Barry, I really do” 

They fall asleep eventually curled up together.

~~

A month passes and the funeral is out of the way and Len has sorted through Lisa's belongings keeping things that held memories and chucking or donating things that didn't. He had gone to the bar with Mick a few times to chat about their next job but his heart just didn't feel in it. 

Barry spent most nights with Len now. Only going home when Joe got suspicious or was cooking his favourite meal. He wanted more than anything to tell Joe about Len now things were starting to get serious but with everything going on with Cisco it just didn't seem like a good time. 

Cisco had still been mute since he stormed out. He was going out of his way to avoid them all now and it was making them all feel a bit awkward. They wanted to help him and include him but the more they tried the more he pushed them away. They were at a loss as to what to do next to get their friend back. 

Life with Len had put a new spring in his step. He enjoyed going to work in the morning and saving people all the more because he knew he got to go home to Len that night. Len seemed to be enjoying living the domestic life for a while but Barry could tell now he was getting bored with being at home all day or going for walks. 

Mick spent most of his time out of town doing jobs here and there to get him by. He knew as well as Len that Len wasn't up to that kind of life any more. 

When Barry got home that night Len had a dinner laid out on the table with candles and music all waiting for him. 

“What's the occasion?” he asked as he shut the door behind him. 

“I got bored so figured I could surprise you” he said cheerily. Barry smiled as he looked at his boyfriend. He was wearing a 'Kiss the Cook' apron and had flour spread across his cheek. He decided it was best to do as the apron said and pulled Len in for a kiss by the straps of the apron. 

“I love it” he whispered into the kiss. “I love you” he stopped when he realised what he said and pulled back looking nervously up at the stunned older man. “Sorry....It's okay you don't have to say it back or anything. I understand if it's too soon” he rambled only to be silenced by a firm kiss

“Shut up Flash. I love you too you big idiot” Barry's heart swelled with joy as they kissed once more. He was in love with an amazing man who cooked delicious food for him when he got home each day he had never felt so lucky. 

They separated when Barry's tummy started to grumble and took their seats at the table. They tucked in and Barry loudly declared that the food tasted orgasmic only to blush when Len promised to show him what orgasmic was really like later. 

They ate until they were both full and Len had even undone the button on his pants. They sat back in their chairs letting the food settle. 

“So......I was thinking” Barry started “....You've been getting bored around here a lot lately....So I was wondering if you had considered...maybe...getting a job.......a legal one I mean” he said nervously looking at Len to see his reaction.   
Len sighed and looked at his lover “Barry who would hire me? I'm in my forties with no skills or qualifications. I never even finished high school and have no prior experience unless you count robbing banks and turning people to ice” he looked sad as he said it 

“But you are so smart I'm sure there must be something you can do. What did you want to be when you were a kid?” he asked 

“A baker” he said simply “My grandmother used to bake with me and Lis every week growing up. She had these huge old recipe books she made herself and we would go through it and pick a new thing to try.” Barry could imagine tiny little Len standing on a stool mixing cake batter with his grandmother but eating more of the mix than which would go in the oven. 

“Then be a baker” he said. “If that's what you wanted to be I'm sure you can work something out” 

“Bar I have no training. No hygiene certification or even a shop to sell things from” he explained sounding forlorn. 

“You don't need training Lenny, I've tried your baking its delicious! And it's not like you can't afford to buy or rent a place in town. As for the hygiene certificates I know someone that can falsify something for you really easy” 

Len smirked “Barry Allen I do believe my wicked ways have worn off on you. Falsifying official records? You?” he teased 

“Shut up I'm serious. My friend Felicity can do stuff like that in seconds.” 

“Barry this is sweet and everything but I can't just start up a business like that and too many people would recognise my name from the past. You may have wiped my records but you can't erase peoples memories” he liked the idea a lot but there were to many obstacles in his way before he even considered something this big. It wasn't as simple as planning a robbery. 

“You can though! Just use a different name! Come on Lenny do something to make yourself happy for once and if that isn't a good enough reason for you then do it for Lisa” Len froze at the mention of his baby sister. “You know she would want you to be happy”. 

Len sighed “Fine we can look into it but I can't see this working out” Barry cheered and punched the air. 

“YES! Now we need to come up with a different name for you.....and a name for the bakery....oh this is going to be fun” 

They sat together for the rest of the evening thinking of an alias Len could use for his certificates. They had agreed to keep his first name and had gotten the list of surnames down to a short list. Eventually they settled on going with his grandmothers maiden name Bello. 

“Nice to meet you Mr Leonard Bello” Barry said jokingly holding out his hand for Len to shake only for Len to pull him forward into a kiss. 

“Shut up Barry” he smiled. 

“Let me call Felicity and ask her how long it will take for her to get everything sorted” Barry said darting into the hall to get his phone from his coat pocket. 

He came back in a few seconds later grinning ear to ear. “Do you have a printer?” he asks and Len points to the computer desk in the corner. Barry fiddles with some wires connecting it to his phone and moments later sits back down placing a selection of certificates in front of him.

“This....is....how?” he mumbled confused

“Felicity is a genius did I forget to mention that?” he grinned happily 

“Do you really think I can do this Bar?” he asks earnestly. 

“With all my heart” he answers honestly. 

Len smiles happily as he silently examines the certificates. 

“Thank you” he whispers 

~~

Two more months pass and Barry and Len are looking round a vacant shop in the mall. 

“So what do you think?” Barry asks as Len examines the wiring and plumbing in the place. 

“I think this could work” he answers. “Man I can't believe this is actually happening” he says in awe. 

“Believe it because if all goes to plan with the sale you could be open within a matter of weeks” the estate agent says over her clip board. 

“How long do you think the sale will take Ma'am?” Len asks politely 

“Well if you agree to the sale today I can file the paperwork when I get back to the office but if you want a couple of days to talk things over with your partner then it will take about a week barring any hiccups” she explains as she scratches something down in her notebook. 

Len looks at Barry looking for an answer and Barry just reassuringly nods at him. Len inhales a deep calming breath “We'll take it” he says and Barry has to restrain himself from cheering out loud.

“Well then Mr and Mr Bello let's get this paper work sorted shall we” she says pulling a stack of paper out of her satchel. Neither of them look at each other or say anything about the mistake of assuming they were married but both smile happily to themselves at the thought.   
~~

Two months pass and Barry is sitting on the counter watching Len wheel bits of equipment around the shop. “You could help you know Mr Speedster” he joke glares at him. Barry just swings his legs and grins at him. 

“If you needed help you should've got Mick to come in today like he offered” he teased. Len through a ball of bubble wrap at Barry's head but it floats to the floor several feet in front of the intended target. 

Barry hops down off the counter and sidles over to his boyfriend “If I help do I get a kiss?” he asks coyly 

“If you help we can go christen the office” he replies kissing him and biting gentle on his lower lip. Before he can even blink Barry has sped off and soon everything is in its rightful place in the new shop. Len stares wide eyed and open mouthed at how quickly Barry finished “Dude....I have been moving this stuff for HOURS and you finished it in seconds? Man, I'm not sure you deserve to christen the office now” he said half joking. 

Barry pouts up at him doing his best puppy eyes “But I was enjoying seeing you work without your shirt on”. Len rolls his eyes at the younger man. 

“Like what you see?” he asks holding his arms out wide. Barry oggle's the way Len's muscles ripple underneath his tanned skin. 

“Definitely” he says and he barely prevents himself drooling at the vision before him. Len smirks and turns round walking in to the office and looks back with a raised brow. Barry speeds into the room and Len shuts the door. 

The moment the door clicks shut Barry is pressed up against him kissing him and running his hand through Len's short hair. Len parts Barry's legs with his knee and applies the slightest pressure to his erection just enough for him to feel and not get off from it. Barry moans and tries to grind down on Len's thigh but can't get enough contact. 

He pulls away and sinks to his knee's looking up at Len with wide eyes as he reaches for his belt buckle. He unzips his pants and pulls them down to his thighs revealing the tight black boxers that are only just managing to contain Len's own erection. 

Barry runs a teasing finger down the front of the fabric and down the inside of his thighs. “And you moan at me for teasing you” Len says from above. Barry grins and hooks his fingers under the waistband of his boxers and pulls them down breathing a warm breath on to Len's cock. 

He gripped it firmly between thin fingers and stroked him teasingly. Just enough to get Len to gasp and moan for him. He grinned wickedly up at Len as he leant forward and slowly licked a stripe over the head of his cock lapping up the pre cum that was spilling out. Len moans and bucks into his touch. 

“Barry” he moans running his hands through the younger man's hair. Barry makes sure he holds eye contact with Len as he takes him into his mouth as far as he can handle. He makes sure he runs his tongue along the vein on the underside making Len moan louder. “Barry if you want me to fuck you you really need to stop because I'm gonna cum” he warns “Not all of us have that speedster refractory period” Barry grins around his cock and takes him in further before pulling back. 

Len is about to pull away so they can get in a more comfortable position when Barry grabs hold of his hips. “I want to try something” he states biting his lip anxiously. 

“What do you want to try?” Len asks raising his eyebrow curiously.

“Do you trust me?” Len nods at him “If you want me to stop just say so” he says putting pressure on his hips so he turns around facing the desk “Lean over the desk for me?” he asks in a mock shy voice. 

Len tries not to smirk as he does so hearing Barry rummage in his bag for something before returning to his knees behind him. He feels him reach between his legs and give his cock a few strokes then parting his butt cheeks and breathing a breath of hot hair against his sensitive hole. 

He doesn't have time to gage properly what is going to happen before he feels Barry's tongue running circles around the hot pink flesh occasionally poking through the tight ring of muscle all the while he is stroking his cock firmly in his hand. 

This certainly wasn't the first time Len had been on the receiving end of a rim job nor would it be the first time he gave one when he returns the favour but this is the first time he thinks he may cum just from that stimulation alone. 

Barry removes the hand from his cock and he hears the pop of a bottle cap as he pours some lube onto his fingers. Soon a long thin digit is joining the tongue probing at his hole pushing further and further in to him. Quickly a second finger joins the first and begins to scissor at his entrance loosening him up. When the third finger joins he moans and has to use all his strength to stop his knees from buckling as they brushed against his prostate. 

When Barry has decided Len is open enough he hears the bottle open once more as he lathers his own cock in lube. 

“Are you ready Lenny?” he asks making sure his partner is comfortable. Len moans out a affirmative and steadies himself against the desk. 

Barry pushes in with the patience and slowness Len never would have expected he could manage. 

“Bar, I'm not made of china. You don't have to worry about breaking me” he promises as he feels the delicious friction of being filled by the man he loves. Soon Barry has bottomed out and they are pressed together as close as two people could be. He feels Barry's hands snake around his waist pulling him into an upright position making him pant as Barry's cock brushes against his prostate. 

One hand reaches down to grab at his cock and the other sneaks up to tweak and pull at his nipples. Len realises Barry must've been taking note of everything that got him off for a long time. He starts to pull out and slide back in, in rhythm with the hand stroking his cock. He can hear Barry's pants and moans in his ear and feel the energy blazing off him more so than when he was running.

“Barry please” he moaned trying not to sound like he was begging. Barry kissed his neck biting and sucking at the flesh which was certain to leave a bruise come morning. 

Suddenly a sensation he had never felt before came over him and he almost screamed in pleasure. Barry pulls back in concern. “Lenny?”

“Did you?...just?” he pants “Do it again” he begged “please” Barry grins and pushes back into him with a quicker pace starting to vibrate across his entire body making Len moan and squirm in pleasure. It took mere moments of his vibrating cock pressing against Len's prostate for him to explode and cum all over the desk with a scream of Barry's name. Barry followed shortly after buried as far as he could reach in his lover. 

When Barry pulled out they both collapsed to the floor panting in a mess of cum, lube and sweat. 

“Wow” Len gasps “I did not know you could do that Barry Allen” Barry grins leaning into Len's chest.   
“I didn't find out I could till recently.....I wanted to see what would happen.......” he said almost embarrassed by his admission. Len kisses the top of his head. 

“If there is anything else you want to try then please tell me any time because WOW” he said laughing to himself “You surprise me more every day BarBear” 

Barry really wished they could lay there all day but they still had a few things to sort out before the grand opening in a few weeks. For one Len needed to put the shop sign up seeing as he was being overly dramatic about making sure he doesn't see it before the reveal. 

~~

It was the day before the opening and Barry found himself sat on top of a ladder watching Len put the final bolt into the shop sign which was still covered by a huge cloth. Len had insisted he wait to see the sign when it was unveiled for the first time and not a second before. 

He stepped back off the box he was using to reach the bolt and held out a piece of string to Barry. 

“Care to do the honours Mr Allen?” he asked. Barry leapt off the ladder and took hold of the string. He looked at Len making sure he was ready and pulled the cloth down to the ground. He stepped back to properly look at the sign. It read “Lisa's Baking Basket” with a golden logo of a lightning bolt going through a snow flake. Barry felt a tear threatening to fall 

“It's beautiful” he whispered in awe “Lisa would be so proud of you” he pulled Len into a hug and kissed him hard trying to convey every emotion he was feeling and couldn't find the words to explain them. 

“I sure hope so BarBear” he said grinning amongst the tears that were falling from both their eyes. “I had to honour her some way and you for convincing me this was something I could achieve” he pointed at the logo “You made me realise I could do more than just steal things. That I actually have some worth in this world. I love you so much Barry Allen” He takes hold of the younger man's hand. “Barry you helped me when I was lost and broken. You helped me when I didn't deserve it after everything I have done to you and your friends in the past. You comforted me after Lisa passed and taught me to see the world anew. I owe my life to you for everything you have changed for the better. Now I have just one question” he said going down on one knee and reaching into his pocket for a small red box “Bartholomew Henry Allen. Will you marry me?” he asked opening the box to reveal a plain gold band with an engraving going around the outside of lightning bolts and snowflakes. 

Barry gasped and his hand flew to his mouth and he didn't even try and fight the tears that were now flowing. He jumped forward tackling Len to the ground whilst doing so. “Yes, yes. Oh my god, yes! “ he shrieked grinning as people in the mall stopped and watched the scene unfold. 

Lenny smiled broadly “Really?” he asked and Barry silenced him with a kiss. 

“Yes you big idiot!” Len beamed now and took the ring from the box sliding it onto Barry's finger and Barry stared at it in disbelief. 

“I love you so much Barry” he said and kissed him as the crowd that had now gathered around them clapped and cheered. Neither of them could remember a time feeling this happy in their entire lives.   
~~

That night they went back home elated beyond belief. They made their way up to bed as Len had an early start in the morning so he could get baking before shop opening. He had already left a vast array of dough proving over night ready to bake in the morning. 

“Len?” Barry asked 

“hmm?” he said half asleep already 

“When are we going to tell my family and friends....about us...” 

“Do we have toooo?” Len moaned rolling his face into the pillow. 

“I want them to be there when I get married Len” 

“But they all hate me” he whined 

“So did I once. They will learn to love you just as much as I do.....okay maybe not just as much as but they will come around” 

“Fiiine” Barry loved how grumpy Len got when he was sleepy “But if things go south I'm blaming you when your adoptive father shoots me” 

Barry rolled his eyes “Joe isn't going to shoot you, idiot”

“I will hold you to that” 

“So...can we tell them at my birthday party?” Barry asked 

“You are having a birthday party? Since when?” 

“Iris and Caitlin think I don't know but they are really bad at secrets. They are planning a 'surprise' birthday for me next week....I could tell them then.....and If things go okay....you can come along later?” he suggested 

“So this plan doesn't involve me having to be in the room with a protective father with a gun?” 

“No but Joe wouldn't shoot you anyway...too much paperwork” 

“How reassuring” Len said dryly “But if you think this is the best way then lets go for it. Now I really need to get some sleep before the sun rises. Goodnight BarBear” and with that he fell sound asleep snoring peacefully.   
~~

When Barry wakes up the next morning Len has long since gone to work. The sun is beaming through the window and he shuts his eyes again against the glare. When he adjusts to the light he spots the note on the bedside cabinet. 

__

_BarBear_

_I figured it was best to let you continue sleeping in case you are needed for Flash business later._

_I have left you some breakfast in the oven it should still be warm when you wake, unless you are a lazy bones again and don't get up till mid afternoon._

_When you are free come down to the shop and be my official taste tester._

_Love you_

_Len_

__

Barry neatly folded up the note and tucked it into his book to keep it safe. He checked his phone for any messages saying he was needed at the labs or CCPD but it seemed he was all clear. He checks the time and sees he's not overslept to badly and its only just gone ten. 

He quickly jumps in the shower and gets dressed and eats the delicious breakfast Len had left and ran out the door. 

When he arrived at the shop there was a line outside of people of all ages waiting to get in. So many the mall security were standing by making sure things stayed orderly. He could see Len through the window with flour on his face as he gave people boxes of delicious treats. 

In the window was a beautiful selection of breads, cakes and biscuits all of different shapes, sizes and flavours. He clocked one particular biscuit which was shaped like his lightning bolt made out of fondant. 

He quietly joined the back of the line and watched as excited children left the shop devouring colourful cupcakes and biscuits all decorated with bright colours and shaped like various heroes off TV and real life. Barry was in complete awe. He knew Len could cook like know other but he had never seen him use his skill in such a way before. 

When he finally got into the shop Len greeted him with a broad smile and leaned over the counter to kiss him. Len handed him one of the Flash cookies with a wink and Barry took it with a mock glare ducking under the counter and taking a seat on the bench behind. 

“Well you seem to be a hit already” Barry said watching as more people piled in. 

“I was not expecting this many people. Do you know how hard it is serving AND baking at the same time? It's a madhouse” Len said whilst ringing up a customer.   
“You need to hire someone to help out in the front whilst you bake” Barry suggested taking a bite out of the cookie and moaning loudly then blushing as the customers gave him odd looks “These are really good” 

“Yeah that would be great but I can't work with someone I don't know and can you really see Mick donning an apron and being friendly to strangers?” Barry laughed at the mental image of Mick Rory wearing an apron and being fawned over by middle aged women. 

“Okay maybe we need to think of something else. I have an idea but it will have to wait till after my party tonight. Wally will be finishing college for the summer soon and could do with something to keep his mind off....other.....things for a while. Maybe he could come help out?” 

Len thought the suggestion over for a bit whilst he pulled a fresh batch of cupcakes out the oven and lay them out to cool. “If you think he will agree then go for it” he said smiling at his fiance.

“Perfect. Now I've got to go to the lab and pretend I know nothing of what's going on whilst Caitlin pretends to do tests on me so I can act surprised about my not so secret party. Have fun Len I love you.” he said kissing him on the cheek and climbing back under the counter. 

“Love you too. Good Luck with....you know....you might need it....” Len called 

“No I won't!” Barry yelled back over his shoulder. 

~~

Caitlin was just about done with her 'tests' where she made him run around the pipeline at full speed, when she got a text Barry assumed was off the others telling her things were ready. She quickly brightened up and told him she had to go do something and to meet her in Well's old room in a few minutes. 

Barry made a show of slowly going back to the cortex and surprised even himself with his genuine reaction when they made him jump by popping up from behind the desk screaming “Happy Birthday Barry!”. He hugged them all one by one giving Iris and Caitlin both a kiss on the cheek in thanks. 

“Wow you guys! This is amazing” he said as he looked at the cake they had got him. It was a cake with red fondant icing with his logo on top, just like the cookies Len made. He smiled to himself as he thought about finally telling the others about Len later. He knew they would be angry at first and upset but in the end they would be happy for him because he is happy. 

They take turns giving him his birthday presents. From Joe he got a watch that belonged to his father, from Iris he got a new watch after she accidentally broke his last one dropping her hair straightener's on it, From Wally he got some video games that they could play together and from Caitlin he got a classic Doctor Who box set of the recently re-discovered lost episodes.

“Wow you guys. I don't know what to say other than thank you! I feel so unbelievably lucky to call you family” He gestured them all forward for a group hug. As their arms enveloped around him a bright light filled the room blinding them followed by a loud bang. They jumped away from each other and tried to get their barrings as to what the light was. 

“Guys?” Caitlin called “Can anyone smell smoke?” then as if right on cue the alarms sounded. Barry didn't think twice before grabbing each of his friends one by one and taking them outside. When he got Joe out they all stood grouped in the car park together looking at the purple flames that covered it. 

“The hell is going on here?” Joe said pulling his gun from his pocket. Another bright light and the fire has spread further across the lot sending purple smoke billowing into the sky. Joe immediately lowers his gun and pulls Iris, Wally and Caitlin towards him protecting them from the flames. 

“Stay back and I'll put it out” he yelled at his friends and took off causing a vortex around the fire that starved it of oxygen extinguishing it. There are long scorch marks curving all over the car park with thin cracks coming off each mark. Barry walked around it trying to look for clues as to what caused it when he hears Caitlin talking. He looks up and spots Cisco standing on the other side of the lot near the entrance and it suddenly dawns on him what a bad friend he has been. He completely didn't notice Cisco wasn't even at the party. He wants to hug his friend at apologise but with the matter of them possibly being under attack meant it would have to wait. 

“Who could've done this?” Wally asks looking between him and Joe. 

Barry examines the scorch marks again. “I think I know....That Meta that hit me with his lasers six months ago had purple lasers and his teleportation looked like purple smoke” 

“But what would he want with us and how did he know this is where you'd be?” Caitlin asks. Something in Barry's head clicks as he looks at the way the mark curves.

“I don't know but I think this is just a warning. I need a higher vantage point” he says running up the building till he can get a good aerial view of the ground below. He realises now why the scorches were so oddly shaped. It was words. “It's a message” he yells down at his friends. 

“For who?” Joe yells back. 

“I don't know, it just says I'm back. Whoever it is they know who we are and what we do” He runs back down to his friends and suddenly another bright flash blinds them and the Meta is standing in front of them in a cloud of purple smoke. He runs at him trying to grab him but even with his speed he manages to teleport away before he can reach. He keeps trying but no matter how fast he goes the Meta always gets away. “What do you want? Who are you?” he demands staring him down. 

The Meta raises a clawed gloved hand and points it at Cisco who looks at them confused and a little frightened. 

“Cisco? What do you want with him?” 

The Meta tilts his head in an oddly unnerving manner and says in a loud almost demonic voice “Revenge” 

“Revenge? For what?” 

“For taking away what's mine” he growls firing a bolt of purple electricity at Cisco who just manages to dodge it by jumping through his portal and landing on the roof above them. 

He charges at the man using all the speed he can muster trying to take him down before he can teleport away but still he isn't fast enough and he teleports away emerging behind Cisco on the roof grabbing him round the throat and lifting him so he dangled over the edge gasping for breath. 

“No one takes my property from me!” he yells in his demonic voice “If you follow he dies” and in a blink of another bright light they are gone and he, Caitlin, Wally, Iris and Joe are left standing alone in the parking lot. 

“Where the hell did they go?” Joe demanded as they rushed back into the lab trying to see if they could track their movement on the computer. “Do we have anything we can use to track them by?” 

Caitlin pulls the screen closer towards her and starts typing fast “We still have some the DNA sample from when he attacked Barry all those months back. It wasn't enough to trace him then as we didn't have anything to go on but if we can get another sample from the embers outside it may be enough to get a genetic print we can trace to see where he goes around Central City” she explains pulling out a small scanner from her lab coat pocket which Wally quickly grabs and runs outside and back in seconds. 

“Done” 

“Okay this may take a while as Cisco hasn't quite finished this program yet. Barry can you see what you can do with it?” she asks sending a file across to his screen and he begins typing. He has never been too great with coding but has a good enough knowledge from working with Cisco to finish the final few lines. Soon the programme is up and running and Caitlin is able to connect the scanner to the computer. 

They manage to get enough of a sample to track the Meta but traces of it show up all over the city. “We need to find a way to narrow it down. Is there a way of refining the search to time?” Barry asks. 

“It could take hours....there are so many signals” Caitlin says biting her lip as she looks at the thousands of dots on the screen. 

“well until we have something else to go on its our only choice” Joe interrupts and Caitlin nods and changes the settings and slowly put surely dots start disappearing. 

“Now we wait” 

~~

Hours pass and the scanner has got down to the last few dots. They all sit gathered round the screen watching for the last dot to show. Finally the alarm sounds alerting them to the most recent tracing of the Meta.

“The last signal we have been able to pick up was from an hour ago on the outskirts of town” Caitlin says and the moment she finished he and Wally are out the door heading for the warehouses. 

Barry knows this warehouse well, it's the one he and Len used to meet at. He thought of Len and how he must be feeling now. Would he try and make his way to the lab after he saw the explosion? He tried to block thoughts of Len out of his mind as he raced to the location. They phase straight through the wall into an empty space apart from the boxes still set up like a table from when he and Len last used it. The only difference between now and then was in the opposite corner there was now a large cage with an almost crucifix like table with straps on inside. 

They were to late and the Meta and Cisco were gone. 

Barry grabs a napkin he still has in his pocket from the cookie Len gave him earlier and uses it to swab around the cages lock and handle. It's a long shot but as a CSI long shots were often all he had to go on.

They race back to the lab and hand the swab to Caitlin who scans it for human DNA. The computer flicks through a bunch of names then stops flicking up a photo. 

“This doesn't make any sense” Caitlin says as they all look at the picture “The human part of the DNA that doesn't match with us has matched with Cisco” she explains 

“How can it be Cisco? He can't kidnap himself...can he?” Wally asks 

“No....It isn't a perfect match which means it is most likely a relative of his....but...”

“Why would a relative kidnap Cisco?” Barry finishes. They all ponder the conundrum for a while trying to figure out why anyone let alone a relative would want to hurt Cisco when the scanner pings again. 

“oh.....” Caitlin says as refined results pop up “I tried to compare them with CCPD and Starling City DNA databases and it has come up with a perfect match......It's Dante”

“Dante?” Wally asks confused “Who is that?” 

“his brother......seems Dante has been in trouble with the law for a long while now.........theft.....assault......all sorts” She says as she scrolls through the long list of convicted offences. 

“Now we know its Dante can it make it easier to trace where he has taken him?” Barry asks 

“I don't know? We can try and put it through all our systems and hope for the best....if not.....I can't think of what else to do....” Caitlin says in a shaky voice.

“We will find him Cait” Iris says reassuringly “We never give up. Especially not when it's a friend in need” 

The words cut Barry deep because recently they HAVE given up on Cisco. They have almost completely ignored him for months and couldn't even remember to invite him to a party. Some friends they turned out to be. They all knew Cisco was struggling and when he started pushing them away none of them at done anything to push back and stop him from getting too in his own head. They had failed him. 

~~  
The wait for the scanner to stop feels like an age before it sets off the alarm showing its finished. 

“Anything?” he asks Caitlin 

“A portal was opened in the warehouse just before you got there. It was only open for a few seconds but there is no trace of another one opening up anywhere in the city” she explained pointing at the results. 

“So where could he have gone?”

“I don't know I think to figure that out we need to find out what Dante wants with him” she says 

“How are we going to do that?” Wally asks 

“I can call his parents and see if they might know something?” Iris pipes up. 

“Okay you do that whilst we try and track where the portal reopened”

Iris flips out her phone and walks out the room to make the call. They continue to scan every place they can think of but nothing comes up. Soon Iris returns looking annoyed. 

“Well that was a bust” she says falling back into a desk chair “Seems they haven't spoken to Cisco since he went to college and want nothing to do with him. Called him a selfish jealous brat and hung up” 

“I have an idea as to where they might be? I don't know why they would go there but our scanners aren't picking up anything” Caitlin says “If we can't find anything on this earth as to where they have gone...and Dante is a Meta just like Cisco....then couldn't they have a similar ability.....to travel the multiverse” 

“But there are endless other earths out there! How are we supposed to know which one? They could be anywhere” 

“I don't think so. The DNA we got from when he attacked you shows he isn't as powerful as Cisco so he would only be able to travel across a few earths at a time without having to rest. At a guess I would say he could be at most three earths away.”

“So we search every universe until we can find him?” Wally asks confused 

“No, I don't think the plan was to leave this earth at all. Not given the state the warehouse was left in. I think they left in a hurry which probably means Dante had a purpose. I think they have gone to Harry” Barry says as the dots start to connect. 

“Why Harry?” Joe asks “Dante can't even know Harry exists?” 

“Not unless Cisco said something and I don't think Dante is in his right mind in the slightest. He thinks Cisco stole something from him whose to say if he mentioned Harry Dante doesn't think he stole something to?”

“So...what? We scan on earth-2's frequency for a portal?” Wally asked 

“Or we could just go there? Even if they aren't there Harry may be able to help with tracking them better than we can manage here” Barry suggested and Caitlin nodded in agreement. 

“Right, Iris and I will get the med bay ready just in case. You two go to earth-2 and see what you can find. Joe you go guard the pipeline in case Dante comes through with them on their return.” Caitlin says. They all nod and walk off in different directions to follow their orders. 

Barry and Wally suit up and meet in the pipeline with Joe “Okay, so. If Dante is there we focus on taking him down first. I have the anti-meta hand cuffs we can use to bring him back with. I will go straight for him and you try and get Cisco away unharmed. Got it?” Wally nods “Joe get the BOOT and your gun just in case. We don't know what kind of mental state Dante is going to be in when we find them. The objective here is getting Cisco back okay?” 

“Okay”

They both take off running around the pipeline and the portal starts to materialise. Barry flicks the cuffs open as he goes through and when he reaches Star Labs on earth-2 he barely has a second to digest what was happening. He used every bit of speed he had to tackle Dante and put the cuffs on him. He looks over at Cisco who is laying naked and bleeding on the floor. 

Something terrible has happened here, he thinks to himself. Suddenly Harry now freed from his bindings flew at Dante and Barry could hear the crunch of his nose shattering under his fist. He continues his assault until Wally jumps into the room and grabs him back from throwing another punch. 

“Don't do this Harry, you aren't a murderer. He will get what's coming to him let us take him back to our earth” 

Barry pushes Dante's cuffed arms into Wally “Take him back to Joe. Tell Caitlin to be prepared for medical attention the moment we come through” He barks and Wally nods and jumps back into the portal. 

“What happened here Harry?” Barry asks looking between Cisco, the corpse on the floor on the other side of the room and Harry. Harry shook his head in shock at what he had witnessed.  
“I went to get coffee and when I got back they were waiting here. He tied me up with this plasma rope he created that I couldn't free myself from and he started ranting about Cisco stealing something from him?”  
“He said that to us to when he showed up. What did he say he stole?” Barry asks looking at Cisco curled up shivering on the floor his whole body clenched in pain and fear.   
“We need to get him back to your earth he needs medical attention” Harry replies not looking Barry in the eye.  
He grabs his sweater off the back of his chair and puts it on the floor next to Cisco.  
“Cisco, put the sweater on its all we have right now but we need to get you to Caitlin quickly” Harry whispers calmly and quietly. Cisco doesn't uncurl from the position he's in.  
“Harry we need to get going” Barry insists “The portal won't stay open for long and you know its more difficult to open another on your earth without Cisco's help. If he needs medical attention we need to go now”  
Harry looks at Cisco his eyes full of distressed sadness. “I'm sorry about this Cisco” he says as he scoops him up in his arms as Cisco tries to cower away. He nods at Barry who grabs the back of his shirt and speeds them back to earth-1.  
~~  
They fly out of the portal and Harry narrowly avoids tripping as he hits the cortex floor with a thud. Caitlin is waiting on standby with a trolley and medical equipment for Cisco.  
They rush him into the medical bay as quickly and steadily as possible wary of any internal injuries he may have given the dark bruises starting to become visible across his chest. They lay him down gently on the bed. Cisco doesn't move from the position he's placed in nor does he look at anyone in the room with him, he just curls up and cries silently to himself.  
Wally must have taken Dante down to the pipeline, Barry notes, must've had the sense to give Cisco the privacy he needs so took Joe and Iris with him.  
“Barry what are we looking at here” Caitlin asks as she attaches' wires to Cisco to monitor his vital signs.  
Barry feels like a scared child who got separated from their parents in a busy mall. He doesn't know how to react to seeing his friend in such a state. It's not something he has ever experienced before. This was much worse than any of the injuries anyone on the team had sustained previously.   
“I don't know. Other than shock I didn't see what happened. I didn't get there in time to stop him...”  
“Harry?” Caitlin asks as she exams his body, taking note of every visible injury and what tests to do to check for internal ones. She hooks him up to an IV to get some fluids into his system but when she reaches his legs she stops at the blood that's still trickling from his backside. “Oh god” she gasps “Cisco” She reaches out to touch him and comfort him but second guesses herself as Cisco flinches away. “Harry? Is this from what I think it is? Did Dante really do this?”  
Harry nods running his hands through his hair distraught at what is happening to someone he cares about. “I don't think this is the first time either. He kept going on about Ramon being his 'property' and that I was trying to take him away. What happened since I left Snow? He's covered in scars old and new did no one notice?”  
Caitlin looks guiltily down at her friend. Barry put his hand on Harry's shoulder “I think we ought to give him some privacy and let Caitlin treat him.” he says as he leads Harry out the room who glances back over his shoulder as Caitlin pulls the portable scanner over to the bed.  
~~  
They get down to the pipeline where Dante is attempting without any success to escape from his cell.   
“The hell has being going on with Ramon since I left Allen?” Harry demands shoving him against the wall. “Did none of you notice what was going on? None of you?” he asks looking around at Joe, Iris and Wally. “I can't believe you would treat your friend like this.....those scars.....if I had known.....I...I wouldn't have stayed away so long.....” Harry starts to cry in frustration as he turned to Dante's cell “And you..you MONSTER!! Your own brother?? You raped him! How could you do that? What kind of sick fuck could do that to another person... on my earth you would be hung for this.....but that is to good for people like you...I will make you suffer Dante Ramon you mark my words.” he snarled. Dante backed away from the door in fear. It seems without his powers he wasn't so brave after all.   
“Harry” he says trying to get his attention  
“Save it Allen. I don't want any bullshit excuse as to why you couldn't look out for your friend.”  
“Harry listen to me! I know okay. I know I've been a terrible friend but we honestly had no idea it had got this bad. Some things happened a couple of months back and he just kind of.....stopped speaking....we tried to talk to him and get him help but he wouldn't accept any of it....We didn't know what else to do....I'm sorry....”   
Harry turned back to him with eyes like fire “It isn't me you should be apologising to! It's Cisco you should speak to not me!”   
“Wells this isn't fair on Barry or anyone. They tried to help Cisco we all did but he rejected it. Perhaps we should focus more on getting him through this rather than arguing amongst ourselves?” Joe suggests getting between them in order to avoid a fight.   
Iris steps in beside him “Arguing won't help Cisco or take away what has happened. Now we need to all buckle up and be the friends Cisco deserves”   
Harry turns around in a huff just as Caitlin walks in. “Barry...could you take Cisco some fresh clothes? He's showering right now...” her eyes are red and her mascara has run from where she's been crying. Barry nods and silently walks out the room going to the store room to find some of the Star Labs clothing that was still in there. He finds the smallest set he can which is still probably too big for Cisco but its clean and warm which is better than nothing. He makes sure to grab his phone from the pile of clothes they had recovered from the warehouse.  
He knocks carefully on the wet room door so he didn't scare Cisco more than he already was.   
“Um, Cisco. I brought you some clothes and your phone. They're a little big but it's all I could find” he puts the pile down on the towel rack so they can warm up a little whilst Cisco dries himself and scurries out the room.   
He starts making his way back to the pipeline but encounters the others on their way to the cortex. Joe and Iris were crying and Joe was holding something around his hand as Caitlin hurried him along into the med bay.   
“What happened?” he asked as Caitlin examined his hand.   
“Dante tried to taunt Joe into killing him. So he punched the wall” Wally said. Harry pushed past them and slumped into a chair looking away from them all.   
“You holding up okay?” he asked Wally. He worried that this would be to much for him given how young he was. He was barely holding on and he was a good few years older than him.   
“Yeah man....I just don't understand how anyone can do that to a person....let alone his brother....what kind of sick fuck does that?” Barry can't give an answer to that because in all the cases they have tackled both as a CSI and as the Flash he had never encountered anything like it. 

The room suddenly went silent as Cisco walked into the room now wearing the grey Star Labs track suit.   
“Cisco” Joe said and pulled out of Caitlin and Iris's grasp and marched towards him. Barry watched as Cisco flinched away from the physical contact. “Cisco he will pay for this I promise you” tears leaked from the corner of Joe's eye again “I'm so sorry this happened to you” he wiped at his tears and turned away trying to gather himself together.   
“Why didn't you talk to us Cisco? We knew you were having a hard time but we didn't think it was like that...” Caitlin says in a guilt ridden voice as she looks at the now covered parts of Cisco's body that were littered with scars. Cisco doesn't say anything he just looks straight ahead in silence. 

“What are we going to do with Dane?” Wally asks “Is he going to stay down there? Go to prison?” 

Iris puts a hand on his shoulder “That's up to Cisco, Wally”

“He needs to be punished though! He raped someone! And you said he'd probably done it before!” 

Harry jumps from his seat face red with anger “Shut the hell up West! Don't you think he's been through enough today without you wittering on?” he yells making Wally back away in shock. 

Barry can see Cisco is starting to panic and hyperventilate as he backs up slowly towards the wall. 

“I....I...I need to g..go” He holds his hand out opening a portal next to him “I'm sorry. I have to” and with that he's gone. 

“Shit” Barry says out loud “Come on Wally. We need to find him” he runs out the lab searching the City for Cisco with Wally close on his tail. It takes a few minutes but they reach the bridge out of town and still can't find him. 

“Where could he have gone?” Wally asks trying to catch his breath. 

“I don't know! I don't get it we looked everywhere!” Barry yelled frustrated with himself for letting Cisco get away in this state. 

Both their phones ping with a text alert. 

“It's from Cisco” he says bringing up the message and reading through it. His heart stopped when he read the last line. He doesn't say anything as he drops his phone and races back to the lab. He can feel the soles of his shoes burn away as he runs as fast as he ever could to rescue Cisco before he succeeded in what ever he was doing. 

He reaches line of sight of the lab and can see Cisco falling arms spread wide and hair flowing behind him just inches from the ground. He uses every ounce of energy he has trying to get their before he hits the concrete but the deafening sound of bone shattering and skin ripping filled his ears as he was just seconds too late. 

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO CISCOOOO!!!!” he screamed “WALLY GET CAITLIN AND CALL 911!” he knelt down beside Cisco. The skin on his arm was torn and the bone shattered. The only thing holding it together was a string of tissue. Blood was pouring on to the ground from everywhere and Barry couldn't think what to do. 

Wally reappeared beside him with Caitlin and her medical bag. 

“CISCO” she shrieked when she saw their friend “Oh god Cisco what have you done?” 

“Caitlin help him! Please I don't know what to do! I can't.......I don't.....Just don't let him die Caitlin” he sobbed. 

Caitlin knelt down beside him and checked Cisco's vital signs “He's alive..barely...we need to get him to a hospital fast or he isn't going to make it” she said as she applied a tourniquet to the torn arm to stem the blood flow so he didn't bleed to death from one wound alone. “Barry if we get him on to a back board do you think you and Wally could get him to the ER safely? I don't think we can wait for the ambulance” she said shining a light into his eyes. “His eye's aren't responding at all I don't know how bad the damage we are looking at here is.” 

Wally ran back to get the back board and some splints to try and prevent further injury. Harry, Joe and Iris were close behind him. Harry froze when he saw Cisco lying in his own blood looking utterly broken. He tried to get to him but Joe held him back. 

“No! Cisco no no no! This can't be happening. Not to him! Cisco please! Look at me!” he yelled at the almost lifeless body on the floor. He continued to fight against Joe's grasp but he held fast so Caitlin could direct the boys into safely getting him on the board. 

Barry winced as he could see Cisco's legs move in a way that should not be possible for any human being Meta or not. 

They got him firmly secured to the board and they took off for the hospital arriving in seconds. 

“Help!!” he screamed “Somebody help him!” Doctors came running towards them and helped place Cisco onto a gurney “He tried to kill himself. He jumped off the roof. I couldn't stop him! I tried...please don't let him die!” he called as they jogged beside the Doctors into the critical care bay. 

“Sir please let us do our work” a nurse said raising her hands so neither he or Wally could follow further. They waited just outside the door watching them attach wires and drips to Cisco. The doctors barked orders at each other about tests and scans and theatre but Barry couldn't process it all. 

How had they not seen this is what Cisco was going to do? They should've been able to stop him. If only he could have been fast enough then maybe he wouldn't be dying on a table in there. 

They kept Cisco in their only long enough to stabilise him to get him up to theatre. The doctors rushed past them with a crash trolley in toe. Barry looked at his friend on the bed and he looked so small and pale amongst the bloody sheets. He and Wally made to follow but a nurse stopped them. 

“Excuse me Sirs but can we get some information about the patient from you?” she asked holding out a clipboard and pen. 

Barry took it with shaking hands and read the sheet. It asked for the usual information like names, date of birth and known medical history which Barry filled out as best he could. He got down to the last part of the form which said it needed to be filled out by a next of kin. Who should he put? He wasn't in contact with any family and none of them deserved to be his next of kin given how they had all failed him. 

“I'm s...sorry....I...don't know who to put for his n..next of kin” he choked out. 

“Does he have any family?” the nurse asked. Barry shook his head. “a partner?” Barry shook his head again. “No one he would trust to make medical decisions for him? It's very important we have someone who can make important decisions on his behalf should the need come....” she trailed off 

Wally stepped forward “Harry?” he suggested to him “Harry could do it. Cisco trusted.....trusts....him” He jots the information down for the nurse who takes it and follows the route that Cisco had just been taken. 

They take a seat in the waiting area anxiously watching the doors for someone to come through. An hour or so later the nurse returns and motions for them to follow her. She takes them to the relatives room and sits them down and looks at them sympathetically 

“Your friend has had to go into surgery. He has severe head injuries that are putting pressure on his brain so if he makes it through surgery he will be kept in an induced coma until it is safe for him to wake up without the risk of brain damage. Unfortunately it does not look like we are going to be able to save his arm so the surgeons will be focusing on saving the remaining tissue and minimising the risk of infection. We won't be able to say at this time about the long lasting effects this will leave if he pulls through but I have to ask that you prepare yourselves for the worst given how severe his injuries are.” she explained. Barry felt like someone was holding him around the neck choking every last breath out of him. 

“What are his chances?” he asks. He had never been one for religion but he was willing to pray to any god out there if they could save Cisco right now. 

“The next few hours will be critical and after that whilst he will still be seriously ill his chances of survival will go up” she explained. “If you wait here a Doctor will come and find you when surgery is complete.” she said as she walked out the door. 

“Is Cisco going to be okay Barry?” Wally asked in a small voice “He is going to pull through this right?” 

“I hope so” he replied trying to blink away the tears in his eyes. “I should call the others and update them.....Wait here in case.....just in case” he says and jogs out the room and continues till he's outside. He takes a seat on one of the benches and flips out his phone dialling Joe's number who picks up after the first ring. 

“Bar? What's happening?” he asks his voice croaky where he must've been crying too. 

“It's bad....I think you guy's need to get here soon.....I....I don't know if he's going to make it... He's in theatre now, they said they can't save his arm and he has massive head trauma so they are going to have to put him in a coma if he survives the surgery. Joe...why did he do this? I don't understand....” he cried trying to wipe tears away with his sleeve but they were flowing to fast. 

Joe relayed the information back to the team and Barry could hear the movement of what must be them rushing to the car out front.   
“Bar we will be there soon. You and Wally look after each other till we get there okay? Cisco is going to pull through this okay?” 

“I love you Joe” he sobbed. 

“I love you too son” he replied then hung up. He looked at his phone screen and saw he had a list of missed calls and texts from Len. He looked at the clock and realised it was almost two am and Len must be frantic by now. He quickly presses redial and waits for him to answer. 

“BARRY?” Len yells down the phone “WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN I'VE BEEN CALLING YOU FOR HOURS? AFTER THAT EXPLOSION I SAW YOU RUNNING AND THEN NOTHING! I THOUGHT YOU HAD DIED” his voice is strained from worry. 

Barry can feel his lip start to tremble as he held the phone to his ear “Lenny?” he whispered making Len stop his rant in its tracks. 

“BarBear what's wrong? Are you okay? Where are you?” he asks 

“It's Cisco” he sobs, big tears falling down his cheek his voice muffled from his crying. 

“What happened to Cisco?” he asked 

“He's in surgery Lenny and I don't know if he's going to survive. I don't know what to do....There was so much blood.....his arm....oh god.....why did he do this Lenny? I can't....I don't....”

“Shhhhh shhhh now baby. Take a breath. Come on, with me” he says soothingly and Barry tries to breathe in sync with him “Tell me what happened to Cisco” 

“He tried to kill himself” he said starting to sob again “He jumped off the roof....It's all my fault.....I couldn't get their in time....I should've saved him....now he's going to die and It's my fault” He could hear Len's shocked gasp from the other end of the line and the sound of something breaking he must've dropped. 

“Bear you listen to me okay? What ever the reason is for Cisco doing this you are not the cause of it. Do you hear me? You did everything you could to save him I know you did because you always do. Don't blame yourself for this. Cisco wouldn't want you too and you know that” 

“But it is my fault” he sobbed “We ignored him and brushed him off.....then.....then Dante..he...he raped him......I should've stopped him before he could but I didn't.....I should've known it was him....after Beth....It's my fault” he tried to catch his breath as he cried harder. 

“Wait...what's Beth got to do with Cisco's brother?” Len asked. 

“Inferno. Inferno is Dante. He was using Beth to find Cisco's details. He used to abuse Cisco when he was younger.....till he escaped after college.....he's been looking for him since....I should have known. I killed my own friend” 

“Oh that poor boy” Len gasped “Barry Allen you listen to me! You haven't killed anyone. For one Cisco isn't dead and he isn't going to die but also because how were you supposed to know that Inferno was Dante? Or what Dante had done in the past to Cisco? You hold no blame here and when Cisco wakes up he will tell you the same exact thing.” he tried to sound as reassuring as he could. 

“I need you Lenny” he cried down the phone. 

“Do you want me to come there? I can be with you in ten minutes just say the word” 

“I need you but you can't come here it won't be safe. I never got to tell them about us before Dante showed up. Joe is so wound up he would kill you on sight I think” 

“BarBear If you need me I don't care if I get shot a thousand times over I will still come” he promised 

Barry felt his heart flutter through all the pain he felt “I can't risk loosing you as well. I will come home when I know Cisco is safe. I need to go now because the others will be here soon and I don't want to leave Wally on his won too long” he said wiping away as much of the tears on his face as he could. “I love you Lenny” 

“I love you too baby bear. With all my heart” Barry hung up and walked back in side just as the others arrived. Caitlin took one look at the tears flowing down his face. 

“Oh god....no....Cisco...he hasn't?” she gasps. Barry quickly shook his head

“No he's still in theatre. Wally is inside waiting for the doctor whilst I came out here to wait for you guys” he lied “Come on, in case theirs news” they all trailed back into the relatives room and sat nervously waiting for news. 

Harry was pacing up and down the room to agitated to sit still. After an hour or so of pacing he stopped and kicked the wall repeatedly in frustration. 

“Why aren't they telling us what's going on?” he growled kicking the wall again 

“Harry they will come to us when Cisco is out of surgery. We can't expect them to rush” Caitlin said trying to calm him down. 

“But I need to know he's okay” he said as he stopped kicking the wall. He turned round and looked at the floor shuffling his feet. “I can't lose him” he said under his breath. 

~~

Hours passed before anyone came to update them. The sun was high in the sky by the time the doctor walked into the room still in scrubs. 

“Are you the next of kin to Cisco Ramon?” she asked looking around the room at them all.

“He is” Wally spoke up pointing at Harry who had stopped pacing now and had sat so he could face the door for when the doctor arrived. 

“Sir, Mr Ramon is out of surgery but it seems his injuries were worse than we first thought. He will need further surgeries to repair is shattered hip and we have had to put pins in his left leg to hold it together.” she explained “He also broke several ribs one of which punctured his lung and he also broke his shoulder” 

Harry breathed a sigh of relief “Well that doesn't sound too bad considering...” 

“Sir...he also shattered his T2 vertebrae severing his spinal cord....I'm afraid Mr Ramon will be paralysed from the waist down.” 

“oh god” Barry said as everyone else gasped in horror “Cisco....no...” 

“We could not save his arm there was too much damage and his brain is still incredibly swollen so he will be kept in a induced coma for the foreseeable future. We can't know at this time if he has suffered any form of brain damage that will have long lasting effects. That can only be determined when he has woken up.” she smiled sadly at them. There was no comfort she could give to stop the dark sinking feeling in all of their hearts. 

“Can we see him?” Joe asked 

“He has been taken to intensive care so he can be properly looked after. You can visit for a few minutes but because of the high risk situation your friend is in we can only cater to two visitors at a time until he can be moved to a less critical ward.” she explained. She smiled sadly again and guided them to Cisco's room. 

When they walked in Barry immediately felt overwhelmed by the sight of his friend in such a state. He had tubes coming out of his mouth to help him breathe as well as drains and IV's coming out of most of his body. His face was littered with bruised skin and stitched wounds and Barry could only assume the rest of his body looked just the same. 

He looked at the stump where his right hand used to be. Now it was bandaged tightly with thick white gauze with a drain coming out letting excess blood flow out. There was a cage holding up the blankets covering his hips which he figured must be what's holding them together till the doctors can complete the surgery. 

“Shit Ramon... What have you gotten yourself into” Harry said through gritted teeth as he tried to fight off tears “You better get through this or I will bring you back myself to kick your ass” he took the seat next to the hospital bed never taking his eyes off the younger man. 

Barry wondered how Harry must be feeling about all of this. He knew he had feelings for Cisco and it was part of the reason why he asked to be taken back to his earth. He can't even begin to imagine how much he must be beating himself up now for leaving. 

But there was no blame on Harry. This was his fault and his alone. He let him go ignored for months. He ignored all the obvious warning signs that something like this was coming and did nothing to stop him. 

Looking at his friend on the bed made him realise that even though he was only a few years older than Cisco just how young he actually was. Far to young to have to go through this much pain. 

Caitlin wonders over to Cisco's bed and smooths his hair off his face and kissing his forehead gently. 

“You get better for me Cisco. Who else is going to name the Meta's but you?” 

“Yeah and I need you to help get me through my engineering course” Wally said from beside Joe. 

“Who else is going to tease Barry with me Cisco?” Iris said 

“You can get through this kid, I believe in you” Joe said still trying not to cry. 

They all stood around his bed silently watching him knowing there was nothing they could do to help or ease his suffering. The nurses kindly gave them a few extra minutes before insisting that only one person could stay over night with him. Harry immediately put his foot down and insisted that he was going to stay with him because he didn't trust them to look out for Cisco any more. No one tried to argue with him over it because they knew he was right. 

~~

Outside the hospital they started making their way back to the lab when Barry made his excuses to go. 

“I can't go back there right now guys....I need to go...run this off or something. Will you guys be okay?” Joe pulled him in for a tight hug 

“We will look out for each other. Don't stay out too late Bar no one should be alone tonight.” he quickly hugged him back then took off running for Len's place. 

It was late afternoon when he got to the front door and he hoped Len wasn't at work still when he didn't even bother using a key to get in and just phased straight through the wall. 

“Lenny?” he called out looking into the living room then kitchen for him. 

“Bear?” a voice from upstairs called followed by the thumping footsteps of Len running down the stairs. He took one look at his tear stained face and blood soaked clothes and pulled him straight into his arms rocking him against his chest. Barry just let go of all the emotion he had manage to keep bottled up and screamed and cried into his shirt squeezing so tight Len's ribs must have hurt. 

“What happened Bear? What did the doctors say?” he asking rubbing soothing circles on his back 

“It's all..m..m..my f..fault” he cried “He's ...p...paralysed because of..f me” 

“BarBear it isn't your fault okay? Cisco must've had his demons, you couldn't have known what he was planning” 

“But I should have! It was so obvious!” he yelled “We just kept letting him push us away when really he needed us more than ever. How can I call myself a hero if I can't even save my best friend?” 

“It may seem obvious now but that's because hindsight is 20/20. You couldn't've known what was going to happen and you couldn't have known Inferno was Dante. You did what you could for him and that is what counts” Barry gripped on to Len harder. 

“They said he might be brain damaged Lenny....that will destroy him if he makes it through this” 

“No it won't because he will have you to look out for him. You and all his other friends. You can support him and help him learn things fresh. Helping people is what you are good at Barry Allen” 

“If I'm so good at helping people how come I couldn't help Cisco?” 

“Because you are only human, Bear. Meta human or not you still can't help everyone because sometimes they don't want it.”

“I don't know what to do Lenny?” 

“For starters when was the last time you got some sleep? Or had anything to eat? Come on let's get you fed and we can go to bed early. You will feel much better when you've got some calories in you.” he lead him into the kitchen and pulled the dining room chair out for him to sit down and started pulling things out the fridge. 

“Why are you so good to me? After everything I've done?” Barry asked and Len snorted loudly

“You've done? Bear you can hardly talk about things 'you've done' I tortured you and Cisco and tormented you and your friends for years. I was a thief for a living and I hurt people without even thinking about it. What 'you've done' is make me realise I can be a good person and can do something with my life. You showed me how to love and be loved Bartholomew Henry Allen. Now decide what you want to eat. Do you want a cooked meal or do you want a naughty meal of cake and other junk?” 

Barry's heart ached because Len could say all these wonderful things about him yet he couldn't accept them as truth because if they were then how could he let his friend down so bad? Len was a good person with a bad past and he knew that but he was a bad person with a good passed that caught up with him and destroyed his friend. 

“Barry I can see the cogs twirling away in that brain of yours” Len said “List to me okay?” he knelt down in front of him “You did not cause Cisco to attempt suicide. You are not the cause of Inferno raping him and you could not have possibly known his identity before hand. These were all a line of horrible things that culminated in a tragic event but you played no part in any of them coming about” he stood up and kissed him “Now lets get some cake in you. I brought some home from the shop today that were left over. Come on we can go eat them in bed, just this once mind! I don't want to come home and find you've left a trail of crumbs in our bed one day.” he teased grabbing a large bag off the kitchen side and taking him by the hand and dragging him up the stairs.

They both stripped down to boxers and after shutting the curtains to block out the setting sun they climbed under the duvet. Len started pulling boxes of treats out of the bag and spreading them out across the sheets. There were cream cakes and cupcakes and biscuits, shortbreads and gingerbread and a few meringues all of which were decorated and looked delicious. 

With everything going on Barry hadn't thought once about his hunger and it suddenly hit him how drained he was both physically and emotionally. His tummy started to growl and rumble loudly. 

Len picked a cream eclair up and held it out to him to take a bite from. He took a large mouthful of it and moaned as the sweat cream and pastry taste hit his tongue. 

“mmm that tastes so good” 

“Glad you like it. Now eat up” he said taking a bite for himself 

“Wow I'm starving hungry” he groaned as his tummy growled painfully. He picked up one of the Flash cookies Len had given him before and ate it in just a few bites. 

“Something tells me you like those” Len teased wiping cream from the corner of his mouth. 

“ hrffg grly ud” he said through a mouthful of biscuit 

“Sorry, I don't talk hungry speedstereese” he joked earning a poke from Barry.

“I said they're really good” 

It didn't take long for them to finish the cake selection to the point there wasn't a crumb left. 

Len rubbed his now full stomach

“You are going to make me fat Bear” he groaned laying back against the pillow “Unlike some people I'm neither a speedster or young. Calories on me go straight to my thighs” 

“Me? You baked them!” he replied indignantly “And I happen to find your thick thighs rather sexy” he winked. 

“Hmm do you now?” 

“Very much so.....I like how strong they are....and how you use them to hold me down when you fuck me.........or wrap them around me when I fuck you.....feels really good” Barry says in a sleepy voice. Len smiles at his tired fiance. He loves the way Barry tends to ramble about things he wouldn't normally admit when he was more awake. 

“I will have to remember that for another time BarBear. Now get some sleep” he kissed his nose and in a second Barry was snoring softly into his pillow. Len wrapped a comforting arm around him and dozed off himself. 

~~

They ended up sleeping away the rest of the evening and didn't wake till Len's alarm sounded the next morning. Barry woke with a smile on his face curled up in his fiances arms. It took a moment for him to remember what had happened over the last two days. 

He shot out of Len's arms and grabbed his phone of the bed side cabinet and checked his texts. He breathed a sigh of relief when none of them contained bad news about Cisco and were mostly just Joe and Iris asking where he was and Wally asking if he was okay. The last message was from Caitlin asking him to come in to the labs when he felt up to it the next morning as she needed his help. 

Len sat up behind him leaning over his shoulder “Something wrong Bear?” he asked

Barry leant back into his embrace “No...just remembered the last couple days and got worried but it's just Caitlin asking me to come in later.” 

“Do you want to go in? You can come to work with me if you'd rather? Then we can go visit Cisco afterwards?”

“Do I want to? No. Do I need to? Yes. Caitlin needs my help for something and it isn't fair to make her work on her own. Honestly right now I would rather just go back to bed with you and sleep for eternity.” 

“If you are sure that's what you want to do Bear then do it but remember if at any point you need me? Just call and I will be there” he promised 

“I love you Len”

~~

When he gets into the lab after seeing Len off to work Caitlin is the only other person there. “Hey Cait. You you needed me for something?” he asked as he walked into the cortex. 

Caitlin was sitting at the computer scrolling through some files when she turned to him “We need to decide what we are going to do with Dante. He can't stay down in the pipeline forever and sending him to Iron Heights would be to good for him.” 

Barry took the seat beside her “What options do we have? He asked looking through the file of contacts they had. 

“Well the only two things I can think of that would get him out of the city and make sure he never comes back would be to either send him to Kara's earth and they can deal with him there, or we could call Felicity and see if she and Oliver can do something with him?” Barry mulled the options over weighing up the pros and cons of the two. 

“I think first we should try Felicity and see what she's got up her sleeve then we go to Kara. Either way it's going to be hell for Dante for what they did to Cisco. They both love him like a little brother when they find out I wouldn't put it passed any of them to kill him.” Caitlin's eyes flickered a cool grey as killer frost bubbled to the service at the idea of killing him. She quickly adjusted her shirt and brushed off the change. 

“Give her a call and see what she can do. I've got some researching to do to figure out a good way we can transport him without him getting out.” She got up taking a stack of files with her and locked herself away in her lab. 

Barry pulled out his phone and scrolled to Felicity's name and called her. She answered instantly in her usual cheery manner. “Barry Allen! Well isn't this a good surprise for so early in the morning. How's things?” He felt bad knowing what he was about to say would take the shine out of her smile. 

“Hey Felicity....I need to ask you a massive favour...” 

“Well that sounds ominous. What can I help you with today?” she asked

“We were wondering if you had somewhere you could keep a prisoner....a Meta prisoner....where he can never get out or see the light of day again”

“Don't you have the pipeline and the new Meta wing at the prison for that?”

“This is different....he can't stay here...”

“Barry what aren't you telling me?”

“The prisoner is Cisco's brother Felicity.”

“Why on earth do you need to lock him up?” 

“Something bad happened...something really bad” 

“Barry....?” 

Barry sighed and rubbed his forehead feeling a tension headache coming on “Cisco's in the hospital, he's in a coma and it's bad” 

“Oh shit....did his brother do this to him?” she asked and he could hear the smile gone from her voice. 

“No....not exactly.” he didn't want to say what really happened it still felt raw and painful to think about. 

“Barry tell me what's going on” she asked frustrated. 

“Okay....this is a long story and it isn't a happy one but basically... Since Cisco was a kid Dante has been abusing him.....sexually....until he went to college and got away from him.... Since then Dante started abusing alcohol and was living on the street with a young meta girl called Beth. When the particle accelerator exploded Cisco wasn't the only Ramon brother who got powers that night. Since then he's been on a vengeance mission to get Cisco back.....he finally caught up with him a few days ago and when he found out about Cisco having feelings for someone else he took him to their earth and raped Cisco brutally in front of them” He heard her gasp and drop something on the other end of the line. 

“Oh god....how could anyone do that to another human being....” 

“It seems that was a breaking point for Cisco.....he tried to kill himself Felicity....he jumped off the lab roof”

“No....” 

“It's all my fault.....I knew something was wrong with him for ages. He stopped talking to us or anyone and I ignored it because I was to preoccupied with something else.” he wanted to punch himself thinking back to all the times Cisco was obviously hurting and he didn't do anything to help him. 

“He's going to be okay though right?” she asked 

“No....he's paralysed...he's lost his right arm. Felicity they said he might be brain damaged that's why he's in a coma. He's got a long road of surgery ahead of him to fix his shattered hip and leg and even then that's only if he can wake up when the swelling in his brain goes down.” He could hear her sniffling on the line. 

“Give me an hour Barry. We can do something about his brother and neither Cisco or any of you will ever have to worry about him again. I just need to get Oliver to sort a few things. If you need anything or if there is anything we can do for Cisco you know we are always here for you all right?” 

“Thank you Felicity. You don't know how much this means. I will owe you for the rest of my life for this.” 

“Stop with that nonsense Barry Allen you don't owe me a thing. Okay I will call you back in a bit. Love you guys”   
“Love you too” she hung up. 

Caitlin poked her head out of her lab “Can she help?” 

“Yeah she's gone to talk to Oliver and will call us back in an hour. She sends her love by the way” Caitlin nodded and went back into her lab locking the door again. 

He decided to let her be and go find a spot to relax in till Felicity got back to them. He found his way to the kitchens and sat on the counter so he could look out the window at the city. He typed out a text to Joe telling him he was fine and was at the lab and one to Iris wishing her a good day at work. He texted Wally asking him how he was doing today. He knew how much seeing what they saw hurt him but he couldn't imagine how Wally must be coping seeing someone he looked up too so much try and take his own life. 

He sent Len a text telling him about their plans to send Dante far away from Central City. 

_To: Lenny  
sent: 9:45 am_

_Our friends in Starling City say they can do something to keep Dante locked away for good_

_From: Lenny  
received: 9:53 am_

_That's good right?_

_To: Lenny  
sent: 9:57 am_

_Yeah I guess but it still won't make up for what's happened to Cisco. It isn't going to make him walk again or bring his arm back or heal his brain._

_From: Lenny  
received: 10:06 am_

_No it can't do any of those things but it can be the start of healing his heart._

_To: Lenny  
sent: 10:09 am_

_How am I supposed to help with that?_

_From: Lenny  
received: 10:16 am_

_By being there for him and showing him how much you care._

_To: Lenny  
sent: 10:19 am _

_What so I can let him down all over again??_

_From: Lenny  
received: 10: 21 am_

_Bear you didn't let him down you can't control his mind or actions. Just be there for him when he wakes up._

_To: Lenny  
sent: 10: 25 am _

_I don't deserve him as a friend._

_From: Lenny  
received: 10:32 am_

_You think I deserve you as my future husband? Deserving has nothing to do with it. You care about him and he cares about you so when he is awake tell him that. Moping about the past isn't going to change anything or help him in the future._

_To: Lenny  
sent: 10:33 am_

_Yeah I guess you're right but I still feel guilty._

_From: Lenny  
received: 10:37 am_

_It will pass with time. Bear I have to go back to work now or these cookies are going to burn. I will see you back at home later. I love you._

_To: Lenny  
sent: 10:39 am_

_Love you too XXX_

__

He flicks through various apps on his phone waiting for Felicity to call back. It's slightly gone passed an hour when the phone rings again. 

“Felicity?” 

“Barry you are on speaker. Oliver is here and so is Ray they think they have a solution to your problem.” 

“I was working on a prototype for my next suit and how to miniaturise it faster and more efficiently when Felicity asked me to help her and Oliver create a suitable prison that can hold and sustain a living being indefinitely. It will take a few weeks to build on my own but I think it will be perfect for what you need” Ray explained 

“How will it work?” he asked 

“Well it works like if you mixed my suit and your pipeline and morphed them into a cube about the size of my hand? It can create it's own power and will dampen any meta abilities the prisoner has and contains a life support system that could basically hold them in a state of limbo till they are either freed or die of old age.” 

“Okay but how do we get him in the box in the first place?” 

“That's where I come in” Oliver spoke up “Ray here will create an arrow that will basically clamp on to Dante's spine embedding itself in his nervous system and would cause him to shrink down. I've just got to hit him with it and the box will basically build itself out of the arrow in his spine”

“How on earth did you come up with that Dr Palmer?” 

“Your friend Cisco gave me the idea when he helped fix one of the bugs in the suit a long time ago I still owe him a debt and I think this will help repay it” 

“Thank you....but....What will we do with the box when it's got Dante inside? Couldn't he just break out again? Or have someone free him? He's got a gang of Meta's he's been working with that we haven't been able to track down yet” 

“Well we thought about giving the box to A.R.G.U.S. But we figured that would be to close to home and their security isn't the best” Felicity said 

“Then I suggested we give the box to Rip Hunter to store on the Waverider. Even if he could get out of the box he wouldn't be able to get off the ship without being killed” Ray explained “I'm not due back with the legends for a few weeks but I can call Sara and explain the situation and they can come pick it up as soon as we are ready” 

Barry couldn't believe how lucky he was to have friends like this. Felicity had managed to organise the creation of an entirely new prison and get a method of keeping it not just out of the city but more often than not out of the entire time period. 

“Thank you Dr Palmer, Felicity, Oliver you can't even believe how much this is going to help us. Once Dante is gone and out of our hair we can concentrate on helping Cisco and preparing for him to wake up” 

“It's not a problem honestly. I've needed something to keep my mind occupied whilst my suit is being fixed so I can go back to the Legends. Speaking of preparing for Cisco to wake up. I have a few ideas I would like to run by you in regards to transportation for him. I understand from Felicity that he will be in the need for a wheelchair? I've got to write some blue prints down of course but I can email them over to you and see what you think?” 

“Wow....I don't think I even thought that far ahead.....yes please, send them over and I can show them to Caitlin. She will be more help than me in recommending what will be helpful for him. Thank you...I don't know what to say....I will pay you of course for your time” 

“ Don't be ridiculous Barry” the three of them all said at once

“Cisco has helped all of us numerous times. He designed and created our entire base for us and Oli's suit. I think it's about time we were able to give something back to him for everything he's done” Felicity said 

“Thank you guys. You don't understand how much pressure this is going to take off our shoulders.”

“It's no problem. I'll come down and visit soon after we've got the cube ready. Ray will skype Caitlin after this and we can get things moving. Speak soon Barry” They all said their goodbyes and he went to go share the good news with Caitlin. 

He opened the door to her lab and found her staring over a tablet screen furiously scribbling nots down. “Hey Cait! We've got a fix for our Dante problem. Ray Palmer reckons he can engineer a miniaturised prison that can old Dante and stop his powers. He reckons that the cube can be kept on the waverider so he can't ever get back to our time and earth. Also he says he's going to skype you in a bit about some things to help with Cisco's mobility when he wakes”

“That's great Barry!” she said not looking up from her work “I think I've found something unique about Dante's meta DNA.” she said bringing up a spreadsheet of data “When he fires those energy balls? He only uses one side of his body. After we found a mix of ordinary human DNA along with the meta kind I was curious so I ran some tests now we can get a proper source from him that only half of his body was changed on the genetic level. If we can find a way to change that side back or stop him from having control of his powers it will make transporting him a lot easier” She brought up a table showing the comparison of the two kinds of DNA. 

“But we can't change people back Cait....You know that....We couldn't fix your frost problem how are we going to fix him?” 

“I don't know just yet but I'm working on something”

“Okay but remember to talk to Dr Palmer about it when he calls” 

“Of course Barry” she said going back to her notes. 

He left her there to focus on her work.

~~

After some tidying up at the lab which mostly involved cleaning up the blood congealed on the floor of the parking lot, he ran to the hospital to see how Cisco was doing. Unsurprisingly when he walked into his room Harry was still sat in the same spot they left him in watching Cisco's face. 

“Hey Harry” Harry looked up startled 

“Hello Barry” 

“Have you slept at all yet?” he asked

“Haven't quite managed it yet. Wally brought me some coffee from big belly burger earlier its helping take the edge off the tiredness.” 

“You can't survive on coffee and junk food until he wakes up. Come on man go home get some sleep. I can wait with him till you get back he won't be on his own for a second”

“No...I can't leave him. Not again. I need to know he's going to be okay” 

“Has the doctor not been by yet?”

“Yeah she came by a couple hours ago”

“and what did she say?” 

“He's scheduled for more hip surgery next week but other than that no changes”

“It's still early days Harry. He's going to be okay” 

“You don't know that Allen.” 

“No but I know Cisco is a fighter. He always has been and always will be. He can beat this no matter what else gets thrown in his path” Harry tutted and looked back at Cisco, leaning on the bed so that is hands were so close to Cisco's that they almost touched. 

Seeing how Harry looked at Cisco reminded him of how Len looked every time he got injured on a mission. The big worried eyes when he came home covered in healing cuts and bruises. It was the look that was so filled with love and adoration that he felt like his heart would burst. Except Harry's eyes were also full of sadness and doubt. He was worried he had missed his chance to tell Cisco he loved him. That he was too late to explain why he had to go. 

Harry hadn't told him why he needed to go back when he asked. It didn't take much to figure out there was more going on then either of them cared to admit. Those last few months before he went was the happiest he could ever remember seeing Cisco. Even though ninety percent of their interaction was winding the other up to aggravate the other there was never any malice in their actions. 

It all made sense now. “You love him don't you” 

“Of course I do. He's my friend” 

“I don't mean you love him like me and Caitlin do. I mean you love him like he's the most perfect thing ever created” 

Harry snorted “Cisco Ramon is far, far from perfect Barry. He's an annoying little shit” 

“And that's why you love him. You are like school kids with a crush. Pulling each others pigtails constantly. But when he can't see you look at him like when Le....” he caught himself before he said his name. Harry looked up at him with a raised brow. 

“Like who?” 

“Nothing, forget I said anything” 

“Huh, so Wally was right all along” 

“Pardon?” he asked confused. What was Wally right about? 

“You underestimate that boy Barry Allen. He's much more aware of things around him than any of you care to notice.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Leonard Snart” alarm bells went off in Barry's head. Shit, he thought. How could Wally have rumbled them? Did he tell the others? 

“I don't get it? What about him?” 

“Don't kid a kidder Allen. You know exactly what I'm talking about. People like Leonard Snart don't just suddenly turn to the straight and narrow for no good reason.” 

“Maybe he just wanted a change?” he tried to sound convincing but even he couldn't believe his own words. 

“Wally came back here after you all left yesterday. He was in shock for obvious reasons and as all you West's and Allen's seem to like doing, he started babbling about what I thought was just his mind playing tricks on him. He said for months you had been disappearing at all hours and had suddenly taken up patrolling the city. Around that same time Leonard Snart stopped his criminal activities until there was some sort of attack in the city from some meta's. Not long after that he and Mick Rory went on a rampage burning things to the ground and you ran off complaining about some kind of promise being broken. Wally says you didn't come home that night and you began spending less and less time at home altogether to the point they hardly saw you unless it was at work. Seems he got the same investigative traits as Iris did from Joe. He put two and two together and started following you. Found yours and Snart's little home together and the bakery that sells flash related baked goods. I thought he was talking rubbish but it's all true isn't it. Leonard Snart has given up a life of crime because of you.” 

Shit, he thought. Why hadn't Wally said anything to him? How could he have known all this and not talked to him about it? 

“He's a good man Harry.” he tried to explain “He's sweet and kind and he's had an awful life growing up where the only thing he knew how to do was to steal things and fight. But now after everything that's happened he wanted to change and do something with his life that he had control over. So he opened his bakery and he's changed and if you could just meet him you'd see that. Please don't tell Joe before I can” he begged 

“I have no interest in revealing any of your secrets Allen. It's your business and yours alone. Don't think Joe will react the same way when you tell him though. Were you ever actually planning on telling him?” he asked curiously 

“Of course I was! We were going to tell him on my birthday but then....things...changed” he said gesturing to Cisco's comatose form. 

“So, it's serious then?” he asked 

“Yes....he asked me to marry him....and I said yes...” he said blushing. 

“So you love him?”

“Very much so....”

“So you understand why I can't leave Cisco's side until I know he's going to be okay? I don't know why he has this effect on me but he's wound his way into my heart and after letting him go once before I can't do it again.” He reached out a finger and gently rubbed Cisco's hand 

“I still don't get why you had to leave just because you were in love with Cisco? Did you think he would reject you?” 

“No...the opposite. I was scared he liked me in return. I couldn't do that to him when he could have anyone he wanted to fall in love with him. He's so smart and kind and good to the core and what am I? A grumpy old man who has fucked up his own life time and time again. I couldn't risk bringing him down with me.” 

“I don't think he even realised he loved you until you had gone. He was so angry when you didn't come and say goodbye. He blamed me for letting you go I think. Then he blamed himself for pushing you away. Funny how we don't notice how important some things are until they are taken from us” 

“I thought he'd move on with his life and get someone good for him” 

“Cisco is almost as stubborn as you. That was never going to happen” 

“I know that now” Harry said sadly “I just hope it isn't too late” 

“Something Joe taught me a long time ago....there's no such thing as 'too late'” 

“I hope you're right.” he said looking back at Cisco. 

They sat together for a few hours talking about this and that. The doctor came by at the end of her shift to explain some of the test results they had done. The swelling on his brain was slightly reduced but nowhere close to making it safe to wake him up. There appeared to be no significant tissue death that they could find so far but it would take a while for the scans to be clearer. They asked the doctor a few questions about his chances of survival and possible recovery and the doctor explained that he was out of the immediate critical period but was still very sick. 

After the doctor left Barry offered once more to stay the night so Harry could go home but Harry just rolled his eye's like Barry had asked him the worlds dumbest question and went back to resting his head on the bed by Cisco's hand. 

He left them hoping Harry would at least get a few hours sleep that night. 

~~

A few weeks passed and there had been no change in Cisco's condition. He had gone through two further operations and the doctor seemed to think he would need only one more to fully correct all the broken bones. The cast on his leg had been removed a couple of days before and the bruises on his ribs and shoulder had almost completely faded. 

If it wasn't for how pale he still looked he could have passed for someone just having a nap.

Caitlin and Ray had been working tirelessly together on the prison cube and were just days away from completion. Caitlin's testing had proved fruitless and the only option she could come up with to ending Dante's meta abilities was to remove his arm. They all agreed whilst it was an option they would all willingly do considering. None of them were willing to perform such a thing themselves.

Now they had a solid deadline as to when the cube would be ready Joe had been organising transportation for him from Central City to Starling City under tight security. Captain Singh had been given the basic details of what had happened and had given Joe approval to use any resources he required to transport the prisoner. 

Most day's since Cisco's suicide attempt had been basically the same routine on repeat. Barry got up each morning and had breakfast with Len where they chatted about Cisco's condition and the plans for Dante's imprisonment along with how things were going at the bakery. Len had excitedly told him one morning about how the local newspaper were going to run a story on the place after one of the journalists stopped in on his way home from work. Things had got rather heated as Barry showed Len just how proud he was of his achievements. 

After Len went to work Barry would slowly make his way to Star Labs and help Caitlin out with anything she needed such as running prototypes to and from Palmer Tech making the process much easier for both parties and allowing him to run off some steam. 

When Caitlin was done with him he would meet Wally to train some. They had both been working on improving their speed. They both knew it was because of the guilt they felt over not reaching Cisco in time but neither of them were willing to bring it up as it could help everyone in central city in the long run. 

After what Harry had said about Wally knowing about him and Len he had pulled him aside one day to talk to him about it. Wally had immediately quashed any fears he had about him telling the others and just made him promise that he was safe and happy with Len. He had even broached the subject of Wally possibly going to help out in the shop sometimes which he had readily agreed to when Joe knew about them as he didn't want to have to lie to his dad which Barry could understand. Any time he had needed to lie to Joe in the passed had just given him an enormous sense of guilt even when it was over something trivial like eating the last cookie out of the jar. 

Wally had been struggling with what he had seen that night. He had been having nightmares of watching Cisco fall over and over again and would wake up in the night screaming. It was part of the reason they were training so hard as it the more tired he was when he went to bed the less likely he was to dream. 

The one that worried them all the most though was Harry. He hadn't left Cisco's side once except for going to the bathroom and when he was in surgery. Every second he spent sat next to his bed watching his chest rise and fall until he fell asleep where he sat. He only got anything to eat because they were bringing things to him for each meal. They got worried when he was only living on big belly burger so Joe had started making an extra serving of dinner for Barry or Wally to take to him each night. 

~~

It was just gone two months when the cube was finally ready. There had been some delays in completing it as Dr Palmer was called away for an emergency mission with the Legends that didn't require his suit. It proved to be for the best though as he was able to properly inspect the area the cube would be kept in. Sara was more than happy to be in charge of guarding it and Barry feared for any man who crossed her path. 

Barry woke up that morning alone in the bed he shared with Len. He felt the sheets beside him and they were already cold meaning he must have been up for a while. He could hear voices downstairs but couldn't quite make out what they were saying. He pulled on a shirt and went to investigate. 

In the kitchen he found Len talking with Mick over a cooked breakfast. They were deep in conversation and didn't notice him come in till he coughed to alert them to his presence. 

“Morning Lenny, Mick” Len jumped out of his seat and fetched another plate of food left warming in the oven. He brought it back over and placed it at the table pulling the chair out for him to sit down. 

“Morning Bear” he said kissing his head and retaking his seat at the table. Mick just grunted in acknowledgement and went back to eating. Whilst they had met a few times since he and Len got together Mick hadn't quite got used to the idea of Len marrying the Flash but they had made progress in Mick not threatening him every time he walked into the room. 

“So what were you boys talking about so early in the morning?” he asked curiously

“Barry it's almost 10 it's hardly early” Len teased nudging him under the table. Barry poked his tongue out at him earning the bird as a reply. 

“It's early for me okay! But really what were you guys up to?” Mick stopped chewing and locked eyes with Len. Barry narrowed his eyes giving them both suspicious looks “what are you two up to? Lenny you said you'd put that life behind you” he couldn't help but feel betrayed that Len was planning something illegal again especially when he was asleep in the room above. 

“It's not what you think Bar I promise” he said defensively “We aren't going to rob anywhere or anything like that” 

“Then what are you planning that's so secretive?” 

“None of your god damn business Flash” Mick snapped earning a kick to the shin from Len

“If it's going to get my future husband thrown into jail then it is my god damn business.” 

“Barry it's nothing that will get me locked up I promise. I just really need you to trust me on this okay?” he pleaded 

“How can I trust you when you are sneaking about behind my back about something?” 

“I'm not sneaking about behind your back. We just have to sort something and then everything is over for good. Please Barry I can promise you anything you want that I am not taking part in a robbery or anything of the sort. It's something good but I can't tell you till later”

“Why later?”

“Because I don't want it resting on your mind during you guy's moving Dante today. You need to be fully focused on that and not me.” He searched Len's eyes looking for any hint of deception and couldn't find any.

“I will trust you Lenny because I love you but if you have lied to me then don't expect me to be here when you get back from work. Do you understand?” He didn't want to have to give him the ultimatum but there was to much going on in his life right now he couldn't handle being betrayed by the man he loves on top of that. 

“I promise you Barry Allen that what I am doing is for the greater good. I love you too much to risk losing you like that” they locked eyes for a few moments both trying to convey messages to the other. 

“Fine but I need to go to the lab now. Please be careful. Mick don't let anything happen to him okay?” Mick grunted and he took that as an agreement. He kissed Len letting it linger for longer than they normally would then grabbed his bag and shot out the door. 

He ran into the lab quickly putting on his suit knowing that the cops that were helping transport Dante would be here soon and they didn't know the Flash's identity. Caitlin was pacing the floor ringing her hands. “Cait it's going to go to plan. We have more than enough people covering the move that even if he did get out of the cuffs he'd get shot in a heart beat” he reassured

“I know it's just....This is so important. If he managed to get out then who knows what he could do to Cisco? Or anyone if he went out for revenge for getting caught?” 

“Me and Wally will be alongside the van the entire journey he can't escape us.” behind him he heard the sound of a guns magazine being released and placed back in. 

“And I'm more than willing to put a bullet between his eye's if he tries anything funny” Joe said simply. The hatred in his eye's was clear every time the subject of Dante was brought up. 

“And you can go guard Cisco with Harry just in case. Harry has his gun and you can freeze him if needs be. Iris will be running communications and surveillance back here the entire time. He isn't going to get passed multiple lines of defence no matter how many people he has working for him.” Caitlin took in a deep breath to calm herself and smiled. 

“Okay. I will go there now so we're ready before you set off. Just be careful the lot of you okay?” he and Wally saluted her as she left the room. 

Joe's phone rang “They're ready outside lets get this show on the road” he said looking at his screen. 

“Good luck guys” Iris said waving at them from the desk.

Two armed cops joined them at the entrance to the pipeline whilst they cuffed Dante and dragged him outside. He didn't try and fight them he just kept staring straight ahead with an angry expression. They got him safely in the specially created cell in the back of the prison van that Ray had designed and set off. 

The journey was planned to take eleven hours providing for traffic and stops for gas. He and Wally were to take turns running along side the van and the other would sit on top resting ready to go if there was a sudden need.

They were about to cross the city line when they got caught in traffic that wasn't moving. “What's the hold up” he asked Iris over the radio. 

“Looks like some kind of barricade put up in the road ahead. It's completely blocking the route” 

“Can we go a different route?” Joe asked from inside the van 

“No, all roads out of the city are being blocked. Stay alert there is something going on” Barry stood up on the roof of the van scanning the area for anything suspicious. He couldn't see anyone acting out of the ordinary just a lot of angry people trying to get home from work. 

Suddenly the barricade burst in to flames and Barry realised what was going on. “Guy's this isn't Inferno's gang doing this. Stand down and sit tight” 

“Who is it then?” Joe asked leaning out the window to get a better look at the fire. 

A gun shot hit the back of the van making it shake violently. He looked up and Len was standing there with his parka and goggles on pointing a gun at them. “Len what are you doing?” he demanded “You are going to get yourself killed” 

“Flash, I'm doing someone I care deeply about a favour now don't get in my way and only one person will get hurt tonight” he said in his Captain Cold voice. It didn't sound right coming from his mouth any more. Not since getting to know the real Leonard Snart who was soft spoken and sweet and not in the least bit showy like his villainous persona. 

He fired at the van again hitting the lock, shattering it. Mick appeared beside him pointing the heat gun at him and Wally. Len took the cold gun from it's holster and pointed it into the van “I'm doing what needs to be done so those I care for don't have to carry the guilt with them” he said and shot into the van. He couldn't see but from the screams he could only assume the beam had hit Dante. 

“Len...don't....don't do this...” he begged 

Len looked up at him through the goggles “Some monsters need to be put on ice Flash” he shot again and he and Mick took off disappearing amongst the crowd. 

“We need a medic NOW!” he yelled into the radio “The prisoner has been shot” The guard from the front of the van jumped out running to the back. 

“Shit...what sort of gun does that?” he asked looking at where Dante was frozen to the van wall completely by one side. So he had been listening the whole time, Barry thought. He must have mentioned Caitlin's discovery about Dante's powers. It all made sense now. 

Dante was alive but in significant pain as frost bite set in quickly. The guards tried to break the ice but neither he nor Wally or Joe could bring themselves to help free him. By the time they got him out his skin had turned completely black. They jumped back into the drivers seat and rushed him to the hospital in the next city. Not daring to take him to the same one Cisco was in. 

He would live and would spend the rest of his life powerless in a box for what he had done to their friend. He radioed Felicity to explain what was happening and she agreed to make her way to the hospital with Ray so they could imprison him the moment he was given the all clear. 

He couldn't decide if he was angry at Len for what he had done or not. He knew Len meant well in his actions as knowing there was a small chance Dante could get out and use his powers again would be a constant weight on all their minds and that none of them could bring themselves to use force to bring an end to his powers but at the same time, he could have gone to jail or been shot and killed by one of the guards. 

He felt so conflicted. 

~~

They got Dante to the hospital within an hour and he was in surgery quickly. The blackened limbs were going to need amputation or he wouldn't survive. Guards stood by the door of his hospital room constantly for the two weeks he was in recovery. 

Felicity had arrived the next morning with Ray and the cube in tow. They just had to wait for the doctor to give the all clear and they would activate the cube trapping him forever. 

“Can't they just do it now? Doesn't the cube have life support?” Wally whined 

“Yes but if we try and put him in the box when he's not stable then he couldn't survive the transformation to fit into the box” Ray explained 

“Would that be so bad?” he said earning a clip round the ear from Joe. 

“We can't kill him Wally” 

“But you didn't try and stop Snart from killing him!” shit.....he had been avoiding this subject with Joe since the attack. 

“He wasn't going to kill him”

“And how exactly do you know that Bartholomew?” Joe asked starring him down with piercing eyes.

He gulped. How was he going to explain this? Things had been difficult with Len after the attack. He had gone home and couldn't tell whether to punch him or hug him. He had done it FOR him but he'd also broken his promise again. He'd gone back to sleeping in his old bed and Joe's for a couple nights till they agreed to talk it out. 

“Joe...I...” 

“Is that where you have been sneaking off too?” he asked trying to remain calm

“It's not what you think Joe. He's a good man” 

“He's a crook and a murderer” he yelled face going red 

“He's never killed anyone and he doesn't rob things any more!” he defended 

“No he just attacks police vehicles transporting dangerous criminals and shoots the prisoners” 

“He did that for me....” 

“Why would he do that for you Barry?” 

“Because he loves me....” he whispered looking down. He'd never felt more like a child than he did right now with Joe yelling at him. 

“That man is not capable of love! Him and Rory are crooks and couldn't go straight if their life depended on it”

“Don't say that! Don't you dare say that! Len is a good man and he cares about me.” he yelled 

“He's using you Barry”

Barry could feel his blood boiling “He would never use me Joe! He's been good to me and looked after me and we love each other!.....He asked me to marry him....”

He could almost see the steam coming out of Joe's ears “HE DID WHAT??” he screamed 

“And I said yes” he said bluntly 

“You can't marry him I won't allow it! You can't marry someone you have spent the last few years defending the city from!” 

“He didn't know any other kind of life! He has a new life now and a job and a home. All the things he'd never had.” 

“You cannot honestly expect me to believe this nonsense do you Barry? You can't marry him” 

“You don't get to decide who I marry Joe. You aren't my real dad” he could see the hurt look in his eyes when he said it and felt bad despite his anger. 

“I raised you Barry. I cared for you when you were sick and held you when you were scared. I have dedicated my life to protecting you from the dangers of this world and he is one of them” he was choking up saying it and Barry wanted to hug him but couldn't face backing down. 

“Just come meet him Joe. You will see he's a good man! Ask Wally” Joe turned quickly to look at his youngest son

“You knew about this?” 

“Yeah....Barry's not kidding....he really has turned his life around. He's got his own shop in the mall. The cakes are really delicious” Joe seemed almost stunned at the idea of Leonard Snart working a retail job in a busy mall. 

“I can't deal with this right now. I'm going to go find that god damn doctor and get this over with” he said walking out the room.

“Sorry Barry” Wally said guiltily 

“It's okay. It was going to come out sooner or later”

“Oh my god Barry? You are engaged?? and you didn't tell me??” Felicity shrieked throwing her arms around his neck hugging him tightly. “Congratulations!! Can I be bridesmaid? Do you have a date yet? Have you got a colour scheme?” she gushed 

“urm....thanks, obviously, not yet and not thought about it?” he said a little dazed at her outburst. 

“Congratulations Mr Allen” Ray said smiling at him warmly. 

“Thanks” he said smiling in return. They stood there discussing the future wedding when Joe came back with the doctor silencing them all. 

“so? Can we go?” Wally asked 

“The patient can be discharged. He's stable and I have been assured his condition will be monitored closely from here” the doctor said signing his discharge form and leaving. 

“Right how do we do this?” Joe asked.   
Ray pulled a set of cuffs out of his pocket “Well given the original plan fell through I modified Oliver's arrow into a set of cuffs. Just place them on him and press the button and it will activate” he said gesturing to the button on the side. 

“Okay lets do this” he said holding his hand out to take the cuffs “Sara is ready to take the cube immediately correct?” Ray nodded 

“She's on the roof with the others waiting”

“Good” he flicked open the cuffs and hooked one end to Dante's wrist pressing the button. The device glowed red for a few seconds then Dante started to shrink and the box folded out around him. It glowed brightly for a second then went dark just leaving a small cube sat on the bed. Ray walked forward and picked it up 

“Now take this to Sara and it's over. He will never darken your doorstep again” Barry took it and ran as fast as he could to the roof where as promised Sara Lance was waiting fully suited up in her white suit Cisco had made so long ago.

“Well hello Flash. Fancy seeing you here” she winked 

“Thank you for doing this for us. It means a lot” 

“Anything for a face as cute as yours. Unfortunately we've got to run so I can't have the pleasure of your company for much longer. You got the box?” he handed it to her “Good. See you around some time Barry Allen” she said waving over her shoulder as she boarded the ship. 

As the ship got further and further out of sight he could feel the pressure lifting. It was done and they were safe. Now they could solely focus on Cisco and their future. 

~~

Ray and Felicity had come to the hospital to visit Cisco before they went back to their own city. They'd hung around for a week helping design a mechanical arm that Cisco might be able to use in the future. They had tried designing a wheelchair for him to but Harry immediately rubbished the idea and created his own design that was more practical and looked more in keeping with Cisco's tastes. 

Ray had bowed to Harry's superior design and had asked if he may be the one who builds it so it could be ready in time for Cisco's use. It was designed to match the blue glow his Vibe goggles gave off and looked like something out of one of those mutant films Cisco had made him watch on repeat. He left with the promise that it would be ready within a few week barring any emergencies.

~~

He was at home watching a movie with Len when he got the text from Harry. 

__

_From: Harry  
received: 12:37 pm_

_He's awake._

__

He fell off the sofa in shock when he read it. “Bear?” Len asked in confusion when his fiance suddenly went flailing off the sofa “Everything okay down there?” 

“It's Cisco” he said staring at his phone. “He's woken up” he jumped up into the air and pulled Len into a joyful embrace “He's awake Lenny! He's going to be okay!” 

Len grinned from ear to ear and picked Barry up spinning him around in a circle “I'm so happy baby. Truly” Barry grabbed his face and kissed him hard sending them both flying backwards back down onto the sofa. “Whoa there BarBear don't put us both in the hospital when your friends just getting out” Barry giggled joyfully. 

“I was starting to think he was never going to wake up! I need to get there! Where did I put the presents Felicity brought round?” he asked running around the house trying to gather anything he might need. 

Felicity had become quite taken with Len when he introduced them. Len on the other hand found her rather intimidating until they got to know each other then they both teamed up talking about embarrassing moments Barry had gotten himself into till his cheeks glowed red and he was banging his head against the kitchen table. 

“You left them on the floor after Felicity left...you got a little distracted remember...” Len reminded him. Oh he definitely remembered that night. After all that talk about the wedding things had got very heated and they had been left forgotten downstairs as Len carried him bridal style to the bedroom and made love to him on every surface in the room. Nothing could wipe that memory from his brain. 

“So where are they now?” he asked blushing slightly as he relived that night. 

“Under the stairs on the bottom shelf. Next to the box of photo albums”. He darted in there and gathered the overly wrapped presents and put them carefully in his bag. 

“Go on....go to him.” Len said cheerfully gesturing to the door. 

Barry stopped and looked back at him “Do you want to come?” 

“I would love to but I think the shock of me in this room would probably a bit to much after being in a coma for over three months. Let's save that shock for another time” He had a feeling out of all of Barry's friends and family Cisco would be the first to welcome him with open arms. Wally had been easy to get along with after a few meetings and now occasionally worked in the shop on weekends. Iris was happy for them both knowing Barry was happy. Joe still hadn't come round to the whole idea but they were working on it and had a dinner planned for a weeks time.

“Yeah probably right about that. Love you so much Lenny” he kissed him and went charging out the door scarf almost flying off with the speed he went at. 

“I love you too my beautiful BarBear” he whispered as Barry vanished from view. 

~~

They had all gathered at Cisco's bedside when they heard the news. Everyone had brought gifts and kind words of how much he meant to them all and Cisco was smiling for the first time in a long time. 

They had all noticed a new connection between Harry and Cisco. Their banter was back in full swing but the brushing of hands and glances each others way showed something had changed and Barry was glad for the both of them. They needed each other and would support each other. 

They all knew Cisco waking up was just the start in a very long uphill struggle along the road to recovery but this time they were going to do it together. They were one big dysfunctional family and nothing was going to break them apart again. 

Cisco had been fighting against admitting his need to get help over what had happened to him since the moment the doctor first mentioned therapy. He had cried and yelled and tried to fight them to get out of going and after Harry spoke up him about how important it was for him to go so he could go home he relented and started speaking to the therapist. 

They were still worried about Cisco since he woke up as he still struggled with persistent flashbacks and nightmares about what Dante did which often caused severe anxiety attacks that only Harry could bring him out of. There were a few times doctors had needed to sedate him because of in his panic he had tried harming himself again. 

One night he was visiting Cisco after a mission to bring him some vibe related treats Len had made for him when a firework outside caused the room to fill with purple light which set Cisco into another attack. He started hyperventilating and rocking back and forth on his bed. 

“Cisco look at me. It's just a firework. You're safe here with me and Barry in the hospital” Harry said kneeling down on the floor beside the bed. Another firework went off with a bang. 

“No....no no no. He's back, he's come for me. You promised he wouldn't come back! You promised me” he sobbed pulling at his own hair as he tried to cover his eyes with his bandaged stump. 

“Cisco, tell me where we are” Harry asked gently Cisco didn't reply just gasped for air and scratched at his skin leaving deep red marks “Cisco where are we right now? Come on I know you can do this” he asked again 

“H...hospi...tal” he gasped still not looking up 

“Why are we in a hospital Cisco?” he asked. Barry had been told about this technique the doctors had taught Harry. Get him to remember who and where he was and why until he got control of his breathing. 

“Because I'm a f..fuck up” he sobbed. It broke Barry's heart seeing Cisco have panic attacks like this. 

“No Cisco. Why are we in the hospital? Can you remember?” he shook his head but his breathing was starting to even out. “You are getting better remember? You have had some operations and are now getting better. Do you remember that?” Cisco paused then nodded slowly. 

“Y...yes...my hip got hurt and m..y head.” his breathing was almost normal again but the tears were still falling. 

“And you know where Dante is now don't you?” Cisco flinched at the name but nodded again 

“He's gone. He can't hurt me any more” Harry held out his hand for Cisco to take hold of now he wasn't in such a panic. 

“And he's never going to hurt you again. Now breathe with me slow and calm” Cisco looked Harry in the eye as they breathed in tandem till his tears stopped. 

“You okay Cisco?” he asked his friend. He always got embarrassed after a flash back or panic attack if it was in front of anyone but Harry. 

“Yeah....just got scared is all....” he said not letting go of Harry's hand once. “Don't like flashing lights”

“It's okay Cisco. It's perfectly understandable to be afraid just remember we are always going to be here for you. We won't let you down again.” he had apologised repeatedly to Cisco over being a bad friend and each time Cisco had told him to stop being stupid. That he wouldn't have known what to do with him either if he was put in the situation. It didn't clear his guilt one bit though. 

“Barry we've been over this. Stop apologising!” 

“Sorry...”

“Barry....”

“Shit...sor....shit. I will stop talking now” he said 

“Go on home now Barry. Go see lover boy” Cisco said teasing him with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. 

“Oh my god Cisco if he knew you called him lover boy....oh wow” he laughed which made Cisco laugh in turn. 

“Well its better than what he calls you. What was it Wally said? BarBear? Really? He should have waited for me to wake up to come up with a better name for you. When I get out of here I'm seriously going to have to have words with him over his name giving skills” he said shaking his head mock earnestly” 

“Oh I dread to think what the pair of you will come up with. That's it you are forbidden from ever meeting ever! Nope not happening! We are going to elope to Vegas so you can't meet him at the wedding either!” he said making even Harry chuckle 

“Allen I think even though Joe doesn't like your choice in partner he would blow his top if you eloped” he teased. Cisco yawned loudly eyes starting to droop. “I think that's enough visitors for tonight. This one needs his beauty sleep” he said pointing his thumb at Cisco who drowsily protested his need for beauty sleep. He bid them both good night and left them to go home.

~~

When he got in Len was waiting for him on the porch steps “Hey Bear. How was Cisco? Did he like the cookies I designed for him? Was thinking of putting them in the shop next week if he thinks they taste okay” he said opening his arms so Barry could sit between his legs. 

“Mmm, He is having a rough night again so hasn't eaten them yet. I'll ask in the morning. How was your day?” he asked leaning back into Len's warm embrace. 

“Good actually. I had an idea about the wedding I wanted to run by you...” Barry perked up then “I was thinking....You know how we wanted to have a small wedding? Just family and close friends....well I thought maybe when Cisco was able to leave the hospital we just have the wedding at your lab? It's got enough space that we can have a ceremony and a meal afterwards. You can invite all your friends and family and I've got Mick....what do you think?” he asked. 

Barry thought it over for a second. It made sense to have it there rather than hiring an expensive building for so few people. “I like it” he said “If I'm honest I was rather dreading the idea of a big wedding in a church or something. I don't care where we get married as long as I'm with you” he tipped his head back so he could kiss Len's jaw. 

“So it's settled then! Soon we will be Mr and Mr Snart-Allen!” he smiled broadly squeezing him tight in his arms. Things finally seemed like they were working out for the better. 

His best friend was recovering and would be leaving hospital in the near future. Joe was finally coming round to hash things out over Len and soon he was going to marry the love of his life. 

He honestly couldn't be happier.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment if you'd like to see more!
> 
> I have several more ideas for continuing this series from the perspective of both relationships and a few more ideas on top of that.


End file.
